Noah Balta - Welcome to Tigerland

[Quickdraw]

He reminds me of Rene kink

Can't see any similarities myself.

Kink looked like a condom stuffed with walnuts. Had no pace. Or to put it another way, looked like Tarzan, played like Jane.

Noah is a fine specimen. More like Rance in body shape. Got pace to burn.

Not saying he'll make it as a footballer but I'm hopeful that he can develop into a solid player.

 

[blx]

Not worried about Noah just yet. He is still at the beginning of his journey and as long as he improves each year he will be an asset when the likes of Astbury and co start retiring.

 

[Tony Braxton-Hicks]

Don't think anyone has yet figured out where Balta is best suited playing especially as he's not really a student of the game. Would think he'd be best educated playing down back for a season or two, where the game unfolds and comes to him.

That's exactly when he's thrived at VFL level.

CuJo is the one who goes forward more naturally.

 

[Baloo]

Noah also has Uncle Ivan watching over him. Based on Uncle Ivan's work with Soldo, you'd start wondering if Uncle Ivan as an AFL Player Whisperer

 

[Birdman19]

I think he needs to be the third tall in the backline. The few times we did get spanked by an opposition team was when they had a tall marking forward eg vs the dogs Aaron Naughton , Josh Jenkins kicking 4 in the Adelaide game (albeit we had heaps of outs), Hawkins kicking 4 in the cats game, and Cox with 8 contested marks in the prelim kicking 3.1. I think Balta gives us a foil for those tall fwds that either have burst speed or aerial dominance. Play him back I say and let him develop.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Curious what people thought of his first hit out as a KPD?
Was pretty underwhelmed I gotta say.

 

[BrisTiger24]

Curious what people thought of his first hit out as a KPD?
Was pretty underwhelmed I gotta say.

Looked a bit lost. Struggled in the marking contests and we saw very little of his trademark dash.

 

[mad_tiggy911]

Doesn’t have a footy brain.

 

[dimmauchump]

Doesn’t have a footy brain.

Neither did Rance when he first started but he had a work ethic that was on another level which allowed him to become the player he did. With Balta I just can't see it. Doesn't seem to have the drive or want to get everything he possibly can out of his football career. Couple that with his lack of footy smarts and he may just be another enigma.

 

[TigerMasochist]

Got bodied out of a lot of contests down back. Pretty sure Tross had the same issues as a kid til the Lepper took him under his wing.

 

[Quickdraw]

I hope he makes it but if not he should try out as a punter in the NFL.

 

[taztiger4]

Got bodied out of a lot of contests down back. Pretty sure Tross had the same issues as a kid til the Lepper took him under his wing.

Yes, Leppa taught him how to keep his feet, once he learnt that well the rest is history

 

[Tenacious]

Doesn’t have a footy brain.

Doesn’t yet have a fully developed footy brain which is understandable at this early stage

 

[wigglyworm]

News Flash - Young key back plays ordinary game in preseason.

Thought he was ok without anything brilliant.

Yes he got bumped off the ball a few times and out-marked a couple of other times.

He didn't star however he is still learning the caper.

He hasn't had a fixed position for a while so they should just settle him down and persevere

 

[tigerlove]

Got bodied out of a lot of contests down back. Pretty sure Tross had the same issues as a kid til the Lepper took him under his wing.

I remember Vlastuin being very strong in the contest from Day 1. Played 18 games in his first season and some really strong stats. I don't personally see the comparison with Balta. Still young is Balta but it is now his 3rd year so the focus will be on him to really step up a notch in the next 2 years. I just don't see him as a backman as others do. I think he has more flair as a wing-forward type.

 

[TigerMasochist]

I remember Vlastuin being very strong in the contest from Day 1. Played 18 games in his first season and some really strong stats. I don't personally see the comparison with Balta. Still young is Balta but it is now his 3rd year so the focus will be on him to really step up a notch in the next 2 years. I just don't see him as a backman as others do. I think he has more flair as a wing-forward type.

Flossy's a beauty under the ball, always has been.
Not sure why Flossy gets entered into the comparison though, he's a medium size 187 cm defender while Tross n Balta are key size 194 cm defenders.
From vague old fart memory Flossy was more a mid in his junior years, pretty sure some on here were not overly impressed with us taking him early as he didn't get anywhere near enough ball for a mid and we paid overs for a half back flanker. Reckon we might have done rather well in hindsight.

Early Balta reminds me a lot of Tross. Both exciting exuberant flat out at the contest type footballers who don't seem to have a natural position or a structured way of playing. Tross also played a bit around wing and mid at 100 mph when he first started and when tried down back was often easily unbalanced or out positioned by forwards until such time as Leppa spent some time teaching him the finer points. I'm seeing almost identical traits in the way Balta is starting his career.

 

[TigerPort]

At one point in the game Balta gets beaten and falls over. He quickly regained his feet and chased down his opponent. He has done this a few times and this will to correct a mistake and his speed to do so make me interested in his future as a top line footballer. You cannot instil that want in players. Now to see if that want translates to ability to improve so he doesn't lose balance in contests and he starts getting possession. Because if he gets that right his speed is going to be a weapon coming out of the backline.

 

[Dont Argue]

He's going to take time and experience simple as that.

He's played 13 games, players of his type need 40-60 before they get really comfortable at AFL level and start to produce their best consistently.

Judge him after two more seasons.

Problem is Rance got big time experience in the seniors because we were crap. Nothing ventured nothing gained.
We’re in a completely different position now and I’m afraid he’ll need a lot of those two years in the twos if he continues to look lost.
Hope he doesn’t get dispirited in the process.
Plenty to work with but will definitely take time.
I’ll get howled down for this but Garthwaite a better option in defence atm.

* N.B.
Dimma thought Garthwaite was one of our best defenders last Sunday

 

[ToraToraTora]

I'll never call it on a KKP again until at least 2 years in the position. Tross taught me a lot.

 

[daniel30]

Got time way to early first year we have settled him in a role.Only question I have is that his attack minded played so playing in the backline may hold him back.