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Noah Balta - Welcome to Tigerland
- Thread starter RICHO_12
- Start date
Yep. Quite obvious through the pre-season that Ooze shows more respect for him than what Dimma did.
Absolutely, think I just wanna skip the waiting & get to see it happen!
Some might remember how often he double grabbed when he started out in the backline.
He has No idea how to play as a foward.
This *smile* experiment needs to end.
Get rid of young and put him back
This *smile* experiment needs to end.
Get rid of young and put him back
To be honest, he doesn’t think quickly like a forward and he lacks the composure to turn quickly on a second lead
If only he had 10% of Jack’s rat cunning.
I like him as a key back as he is strong enough to spoil the gorillas. He doesn’t have the kit of a forward play maker. Burst in the ruck is also his go, especially later in the game.
If only he had 10% of Jack’s rat cunning.
I like him as a key back as he is strong enough to spoil the gorillas. He doesn’t have the kit of a forward play maker. Burst in the ruck is also his go, especially later in the game.
I hope you are right, but he took a ripper mark in the 3rd or 4th quarter when he floated back into defence in 1 of the stints he had in the ruck.
I think he sees the ball differently. Maybe its attacking the ball from in front, ie. he's feeling for the defender and doesn't get into position correctly to mark it, compared to not needing to worry about the player behind him and just see ball grab ball like he can do when playing from behind as a defender.
And now we get the testing times.
We trained Balta forward for the pre-season, we get to a real game and sounds like he was very patchy and a bit lost.
This is precisely what people were afraid of, but precisely why an experiment like this needs to be given time. From my perspective we give him until the mid-year bye to see if it can work, and then possibly until the end of the year. I don't see Balta as a natural forward, he doesn't have the footy smarts. The question is whether he can learn. Clearly the coaches think he can learn but learning takes time, so give him time.
DS
We trained Balta forward for the pre-season, we get to a real game and sounds like he was very patchy and a bit lost.
This is precisely what people were afraid of, but precisely why an experiment like this needs to be given time. From my perspective we give him until the mid-year bye to see if it can work, and then possibly until the end of the year. I don't see Balta as a natural forward, he doesn't have the footy smarts. The question is whether he can learn. Clearly the coaches think he can learn but learning takes time, so give him time.
DS
Balta has had 2 games in the ruck and on ball.
The first time was in the 2020 grand final. And then second time was today.
On both occasions he was instrumental in turning the game our way.
The first time was in the 2020 grand final. And then second time was today.
On both occasions he was instrumental in turning the game our way.
I didn't see the game but putting him in the ruck certainly seems to have made a difference (makes me wonder about Naismith, he should know what is required). Lots of comments here criticising Balta though.
In any case, Balta forward, with time in the ruck, is fine by me, but if we're going to try the Balta forward experiment then he must go forward when not in the ruck.
DS
I’m convinced he would be a gun 1st ruck who rests fwd... he is also our best defender. It’s a real issue. Need Lynch back and firing and some blokes to standup in the backline to best assess where to use this bloke.
Other teams are allowed to triple team our forwards bump, hold, push and we don’t get the frees others (King Curnow McKay) receive
it’s happened to Jack Lynch and it’s now Balta and Kosi turn
he's a classic 'Utility' - give him freedom to roam, he has the engine.
which i get doesn't stack up in the 'modern game', but maybe that's good?
When Lynch gets back, he can play half forward which will suit him better. Having a more mobile third tall like Lefau will help too.
Whole forward line needs a rethink - major issue is that aside from Bolton & Martin, none of our midfielders are decent as resting forwards.
It’s why Campbell is a bonus and why we just have to persevere with Cumberland. Clarke & Green may enter the mix too as the season goes on.
Yze is smart - he’ll figure this out.
