Noah Balta - Welcome to Tigerland | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Noah Balta - Welcome to Tigerland

Very interesting to read in today's HS that Noah is training with the forward group.
IMHO, a good move.
Jack will most likely retire after this season and Lynch is not getting any younger.
Remember that Balta is only 19 or 20 I think, so to groom him as a future FF is good work.
If he plays some time this year up forward we will see how he performs there.
With his marking skills, athleticism and long kicking he seems a logical fit.
He’s 22.

Happy to try him forward but I have question marks over his ability to read the play.
 
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I think he's most effective (at this stage of his career I hasten to add) as a defender who intercepts / attacks who can be thrown forward or occasionally on the ball. I question his footy IQ a little, and being a key forward is the hardest position to play and requires you to read how the play is unfolding up the ground. Can he do it? Possibly, we shall see.
 
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Yep he is going to do some amazing things. And also some brain explosions.

With the stand rule and his kicking length he may slot a couple with a mark 60m from goal and run around the player who is stuck to the ground.
 
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I think he's most effective (at this stage of his career I hasten to add) as a defender who intercepts / attacks who can be thrown forward or occasionally on the ball. I question his footy IQ a little, and being a key forward is the hardest position to play and requires you to read how the play is unfolding up the ground. Can he do it? Possibly, we shall see.
Not from what I have seen to date. As you said he lacks that footy IQ to be a dominant key forward. This might change over time.
 
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I’d play him on the wing before the forward line.

But I’d always play him.

Can slot in pretty much anywhere and while he won’t be perfect, he is always going to be a tough, if enigmatic, opponent.
 
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Surely giving him 2 years of playing alongside and working with Tarrant, one of the best key defenders of the last 5+ years, is the logical choice? That makes it even stranger.
 
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Not from what I have seen to date. As you said he lacks that footy IQ to be a dominant key forward. This might change over time.
Be safe to assume that initially he would be considered the 3rd most dangerous tall by the opposition if Lynch, Riewoldt & Balta are on the ground at the same time. His role would be to make himself dangerous enough to enable Lynch and/or Riewoldt to be one out. How many times last year was it 1 against 3 in our forward line? Although it would be a nice bonus, he doesn't have to dominate.

He could also be a potential to push up the field for the bail out kick down the line from the D50.
 
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Balta has played forward before. He's looked better in defence.
I imagine that playing on the elite forwards of the comp the past couple of years, that he would have learned a lot.

I recall Aaron Naughton saying that playing on Jack in the final H&A round of 2018 taught him valuable lessons about forward craft.
 
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Pretty sure Noah played his junior footy on raw ability without ever bothering to think to much about match day tactics. Couple of years in defence n now a pre season training up forward might nicely awaken him to the subtle variations of thinking about his game. 22 y.o. n only 44 games under the belt, he's still a pup n learning about the game. Nowhere near his prime yet.
 
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Genuinely excited about Noah’s prospects this year.

Back / Forward / Ruck

He’ll feature everywhere
I agree

I would love to see Balta played foward and seriously believe he has the potential to become that Beast FF
I see alot of young Fraser Gherig in Balta
Same height, weight, size,Leap and athleticism as the young Gherig
 
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I agree

I would love to see Balta played foward and seriously believe he has the potential to become that Beast FF
I see alot of young Fraser Gherig in Balta
Same height, weight, size,Leap and athleticism as the young Gherig
But can Noah pull off this look my Dear Turkish ??

F14E7791-ECD3-4B31-B8EC-58DCC0BB4694.jpeg
 
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I agree

I would love to see Balta played foward and seriously believe he has the potential to become that Beast FF
I see alot of young Fraser Gherig in Balta
Same height, weight, size,Leap and athleticism as the young Gherig

I reckon that's a great comparison, although I think Noah is more agile than the G train.
 
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I’d be ecstatic if Balta ended up as good as Gherig.
People may forget how good he was.

I certainly haven't forgotten, I've still got memories of him ragdolling Darren Gaspar and kicking 10 against us. Often thought the only player on our list at the time who could match his strength and speed was Richo.