Yeah, especially forward. Should stay as our KPB for next decade
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Noah Balta - Welcome to Tigerland
- Thread starter RICHO_12
- Start date
How's the *smile* commentary on Balta/Wankins early. You'd think he'd kicked 8 on him in first Q.
Definitely best night game he’s ever played.
Beat Hawkins with his eyes closed
No he wasn't, dont be fooled by the silly commentators. Hawkins outmarked him once, for his 1st goal. He got the 2nd cos Geelong had a loose inside 50m and Balta got caught in between. If Balta stayed on Hawkins the loose Cat would have stroked in due an easy goal.
He had 1 other disposal- a point- maybe from a stoppage.
Yep definitely well beaten early and some poor disposals. Close to BOG for the remaining 3. Unlike others I think his really long kicks are too predictable as they also go quite high giving opponents time to set themselves for the spoil. Lower and harder would be better ala Dusty. Absolute keeper though, unbelievable reader of the flight of the ball.
I think some of the credit needs to go to Broad. Once he was able to give Balta a chop out on Hawkins you could see Balta grow in confidence which is massive for him.
When your opponent kicks 2 on you early and misses a snap as well, all within the first 15 or 20 minutes you have been well beaten for that period.
Hawkins also beat him one on one for another mark but caught Balta high doing it luckily for us.
Balta was in trouble, no doubt
Shrek had the better of him early, but Balta came back well. Team defence also helped with Broad and Grimes being third man in contests. Even Samson would drop back at times.
Balta *smile* a simple run off in the first quarter. Cost us a goal. That can happen. But he kept running off Grampa Fatso after that.
He didn't get it right all the time. But Noah kept running.
The plan is obvious. We want Noah Balta to run off the full forward.
Noah Balta has been, from the moment we recruited him, a natural running back. He couldn't jump. He coudn't spoil. But he could mop and run and he still can.
Tried in ruck and forward in 2021-2, he can now jump. And spoil. Having learned the basics of a very basic position like full back Noah can use his natural game - running back - to rip matches open.
We are seeing this unfold.
When Balta breaks lines it takes heat off The Prince and Baker. Opens the ground up. And gives us the most damaging full back since Jade Rawlings.
(That last bit was a joke. Just sayen.)
He didn't get it right all the time. But Noah kept running.
The plan is obvious. We want Noah Balta to run off the full forward.
Noah Balta has been, from the moment we recruited him, a natural running back. He couldn't jump. He coudn't spoil. But he could mop and run and he still can.
Tried in ruck and forward in 2021-2, he can now jump. And spoil. Having learned the basics of a very basic position like full back Noah can use his natural game - running back - to rip matches open.
We are seeing this unfold.
When Balta breaks lines it takes heat off The Prince and Baker. Opens the ground up. And gives us the most damaging full back since Jade Rawlings.
(That last bit was a joke. Just sayen.)
Yes, great display in how to rise above early adversity to overcome a quality opponent who was in good form. I hope they keep him in the defensive group and give him time to get that consistency just like we gave Rance time to overcome his turnover moments in his early years. Some of Rance's turnovers are legendary so let's not forget them, nor the champion he became.
Great turnaround as I was frankly quite worried early on , credit NB is having his best year , easily even if he still has a moment or two
big impact throughout the season. I really loved one play: where he ran pass hawkins, brushed him aside and then punched the ball over boundary against another geelong player. That's what makes a great player. Well done Noah, keeping putting in, we love your games.
I just want to backtrack a bit to the Great White Hope Oscar Allen. Good at ground level. Excellent hands in the air. Only adequate altitude. Very shrewd. And clean. A bit too important to run the other way. The pretty one.
But he knows where to run and will capitalise.
Noah Balta showed him zero respect in the air. And was right, probably even trained, to do so. And thrashed him there when he got the chance. The only one of Allen's goals that could be attributed to Balta was the second, when Balta got lost up the park.
Allen had a good game but Balta showed he had the tools to do a job on Allen. And was pretty much even anyway IMO. Allen is not the best FF in the game but he thinks he is and when Balta starts running off him he will get space.
But he knows where to run and will capitalise.
Noah Balta showed him zero respect in the air. And was right, probably even trained, to do so. And thrashed him there when he got the chance. The only one of Allen's goals that could be attributed to Balta was the second, when Balta got lost up the park.
Allen had a good game but Balta showed he had the tools to do a job on Allen. And was pretty much even anyway IMO. Allen is not the best FF in the game but he thinks he is and when Balta starts running off him he will get space.
He’s certainly quite cavalier is NB , and that we play him the gun forward occasionally he will be caught out , NOTE cats played Tom Stewart on mansell . With youngy looking to have a future they will be a great trio as one locks down and NB and gibbo can freewheel with their intercept
