Noah Balta - Welcome to Tigerland

[tora]

I think the hidden advantage of Biggie coming on (if he does) is that if he can step up and hopefully also with Gibcus coming through whilst Tarrant is on the list we can use Balta as a swingman and potentially a key forward. I have no doubt he can play forward, the only question is whether he is more value to us as a back.

I think Miller played well in his debut too and that's another option as a KPP. Another way to experiment with a move of Balta. We have a good choice of KPD types and a good choice of ruck/KPFs. Tarrant and Balta Soldo are the most experienced. Miller, Ryan only just debuted. Gibcus looks ready to go 2022. In the past 5 years we have used 1 or 2 KPDs and had Broad and Grimes play tall.
Balta has the athleticism and skills to play around wing area too. He can run, mark and kick real long.

 

[tigertim]

I think Noah could easily become a very good key forward. Ok, maybe not easily but he could.

 

[Dyer'ere]

This is a very interesting off-season.

An young elite tall of 86kg cannot play regularly tall forward. He will be maimed even in these lesser contact times.

And even if it's later in 2022 the RFC will prove that it believes that Gibcus is ready for a senior role. In the backline. Maybe Ben Miller will get a job too.

And that provides an opportunity to train Noah Balta in forward craft. None of this stuff seems to me to be a 2022 premiership focus but maybe it will be.

Getting back to Noah, he has always struck me as a small. I'd like to see him hunting dancing backs in 2022. Noah can motor and he can hurt. After he's maimed one of them we have a loose. Happy days.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Playing back is easier than playing forward.
I’m ok with the experiment but remain to be convinced it’s a good one. I understand the pressing need for a JR successor.
However Balta has looked like a Rance replacement down back. Great dash, intercept marking & maintained focus. He’d found a role where he could keep things simple & harness his obvious talents after struggling to establish a position early.
I’ll be honest..I worry a little that he’ll lose his way up forward but we’ll see. He’s got skills no doubt but will he have the discipline & workfare to succeed when he has to turn, create & kick goals each week? Maybe but the jury is out on this for now where I sit..

 

[Tenacious]

Playing back is easier than playing forward.
I’m ok with the experiment but remain to be convinced it’s a good one. I understand the pressing need for a JR successor.
However Balta has looked like a Rance replacement down back. Great dash, intercept marking & maintained focus. He’d found a role where he could keep things simple & harness his obvious talents after struggling to establish a position early.
I’ll be honest..I worry a little that he’ll lose his way up forward but we’ll see. He’s got skills no doubt but will he have the discipline & workfare to succeed when he has to turn, create & kick goals each week? Maybe but the jury is out on this for now where I sit..

Agree
How bloody good would it be to have a career fullback who ended up better than Rancey i.e. greater than the GOAT?

 

[ceehook2]

This is a very interesting off-season.

An young elite tall of 86kg cannot play regularly tall forward. He will be maimed even in these lesser contact times.

And even if it's later in 2022 the RFC will prove that it believes that Gibcus is ready for a senior role. In the backline. Maybe Ben Miller will get a job too.

And that provides an opportunity to train Noah Balta in forward craft. None of this stuff seems to me to be a 2022 premiership focus but maybe it will be.

Getting back to Noah, he has always struck me as a small. I'd like to see him hunting dancing backs in 2022. Noah can motor and he can hurt. After he's maimed one of them we have a loose. Happy days.

"None of this stuff seems to me to be a 2022 premiership focus "
its a constant juggling act 1) highest position this year 2) positioning for the next 2-3 years 3) longer term list development

is developing depth and flexibility maximising a tilt this year or focusing on 2-3 years time or a bit of both ?

We've seen how injuries forced us to be creative and flexible in 2019 and 2020 and we still got the top prize
In 2021 it was just too many injuries

We also have the issue of young players not getting time in the top side and Dimma side in a post match "if guys stay too long in the seconds thats what they become, 2nds players"

we have to win enough games during the season to make finals and our tall forward depth might be our biggest weakness
Balta being trained as a tall forward gives us protection there and will fast track a Gibcus or Miller

 

[TigerPort]

Rance, Grimes, Astbury

Becomes

Balta, Gibcus, Miller

 

[tigerman]

Miller is the key as to where Balta plays going forward. If Miller can on with what he showed against the Hawkers, it will allow Balta to be tried forward, or perhaps even on the wing.

 

[spook]

Playing back is easier than playing forward.

Playing fullback is harder than playing third tall forward.

 

[Dont Argue]

Playing fullback is harder than playing third tall forward.

Not exactly sure what you mean by harder but fundamentally disagree.
Collecting crumbs whilst 85% of forward entries go directly to the number one & number two forwards makes it opportunistic central. Thankless position.
Being led to the ball and being able to halve a contest as a full back is considered a win.

 

[spook]

Not exactly sure what you mean by harder but fundamentally disagree.
Collecting crumbs whilst 85% of forward entries go directly to the number one & number two forwards makes it opportunistic central. Thankless position.
Being led to the ball and being able to halve a contest as a full back is considered a win.

I mean at fullback you're playing on a big, strong, gun to whom the opposition are looking to deliver the ball on a platter. Any mistake you make likely costs a shot at goal.

Third tall forward gets freedom. Your man often has half an eye to one of the two keys and you can lead into holes, sag out the back, work the angles, go up to the wings, lose your man, turn him around, launch at packs with little attention on you.

Bailey Fritsch kicked 6 goals in a grand final. Nice player, but let's see him at fullback.

 

[Brodders17]

Playing back is easier than playing forward.
I’m ok with the experiment but remain to be convinced it’s a good one. I understand the pressing need for a JR successor.
However Balta has looked like a Rance replacement down back. Great dash, intercept marking & maintained focus. He’d found a role where he could keep things simple & harness his obvious talents after struggling to establish a position early.
I’ll be honest..I worry a little that he’ll lose his way up forward but we’ll see. He’s got skills no doubt but will he have the discipline & workfare to succeed when he has to turn, create & kick goals each week? Maybe but the jury is out on this for now where I sit..

Agree. It may be a masterstroke, the idea of Balta roaming around the forward line, rucking when needed is very appealing.
But he has yet to show he is an effective forward. he has shown though he is a good fullback, bordering on very good, with potential to be great.

hopefully any move forward, if it does happen, doesnt derail his progress as a defender if the move doesnt work out.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Playing fullback is harder than playing third tall forward.

Not many fullbacks would find success in that role. Much, much harder to kick goals than to stop them.

 

[spook]

Not many fullbacks would find success in that role. Much, much harder to kick goals than to stop them.

Not many fullbacks are Noah Balta.

 

[Leysy Days]

Like ToO Leysy remains to be convinced Balta will be a success in the forward line.

It's worth a try, but concerned about his ability to know when and where to lead. Small sample size but he's looked a little lost when played there in the past.

Agree with ToO it is harder there. Fullback on the gorilla's is a simpler game when you have Grimes, Vlastuin etc coming over the top to assist you.

Anyway hopefully he nails it.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Not many fullbacks are Noah Balta.

Only time will ultimately tell mate. Just hope it's successful.

 

[Smoking Aces]

Playing back is easier than playing forward.
I’m ok with the experiment but remain to be convinced it’s a good one. I understand the pressing need for a JR successor.
However Balta has looked like a Rance replacement down back. Great dash, intercept marking & maintained focus. He’d found a role where he could keep things simple & harness his obvious talents after struggling to establish a position early.
I’ll be honest..I worry a little that he’ll lose his way up forward but we’ll see. He’s got skills no doubt but will he have the discipline & workfare to succeed when he has to turn, create & kick goals each week? Maybe but the jury is out on this for now where I sit..

Great pair TOO.

Balta struggles to read the play up forward. He lacks game sense. But down back or stints in the ruck where he is led to the ball, well that’s when he comes into his element.

For me he must play at CHB. Cast your mind back to the preliminary final against Port. He did a number on Dixon. He is crucial for us.

Tarrant and Balta to take the big forwards allowing Grimes back as the interceptor.

 

[Eddie from Elwood]

Great pair TOO.

Balta struggles to read the play up forward. He lacks game sense. But down back or stints in the ruck where he is led to the ball, well that’s when he comes into his element.

For me he must play at CHB. Cast your mind back to the preliminary final against Port. He did a number on Dixon. He is crucial for us.

Tarrant and Balta to take the big forwards allowing Grimes back as the interceptor.

Grimma back as the interceptor may final help us stop hearing about Jake Lever.

 

[smokin joe]

I think Gisbus will be a surprise packet and play some early games
just depends on how quickly his body develops

 

[year of the tiger]

Just rewatched the 2020 grannie tonight and the move of Balta to on ball late in the second term was a game changer and one reason we got back into that game. He was superb in that second half.

Balta has done his time down back - time for him to play wing, ruck forward and let him run wild destruction on the opposition defenders.