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

First good news all season and you have to dump on it.
There are some on here who dump on anything we do.

I heard a few months ago that Balta was wanting to a deal that tied him to RFC for life, loves the club. However we don’t know what he may have been offered elsewhere which is in the end what we needed to match, or close to it.

If we can have a fit Gibcus going forward we have the defensive pillars in place for the next 6-7 years. That’s really important.
 
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If I was going to offer any of our current players a long term deal right now, it'd be Balta.

He's that rarest of creatures - a tall who can turn the game playing at pretty much any position on the park. Need a dominant intercepting CHB? No worries. How about a rampaging beast running amok through the ruck or off a wing? Yep, all good. Or hows abouts a big target in the forward line with a 60m kick and elite contested mark? Sure, why not?

Flexibility in the modern game is gold. Flexibility in a tall with elite traits is gold-plated gold.

Plus he's in the right age profile. And he's reasonably durable. And he loves the club. And we can lock him away now on today's dollars before multiple rounds of wage inflation hits over the next decade.

Sure, if it was for someone like, I dunno, Kosi or Bauer or even Gibcus, you wouldn't go 7. But with Balta, it feels like a bit of a no-brainer.
 
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There are some on here who dump on anything we do.

I heard a few months ago that Balta was wanting to a deal that tied him to RFC for life, loves the club. However we don’t know what he may have been offered elsewhere which is in the end what we needed to match, or close to it.

If we can have a fit Gibcus going forward we have the defensive pillars in place for the next 6-7 years. That’s really important.
Yep. Nailed it. Hopefully Gibcus will be a long term forward. Just needs an even run at it.
 
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Yep. Nailed it. Hopefully Gibcus will be a long term forward. Just needs an even run at it.
I didn’t mean being a forward so nice segway, very nicely done :)
If it were my choice I would leave gibcus and Balta in the backline permanently and solve our kpf issues through the draft or trade/free agency
 
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I didn’t mean being a forward so nice segway, very nicely done :)
If it were my choice I would leave gibcus and Balta in the backline permanently and solve our kpf issues through the draft or draft/free agency
We haven't seen much of Josh, but he will be bigger and stronger and does have some history as a forward. Having said that, I would be equally deighted if he settles as a backman.
I just want him on the park.
 
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Rising leader. Wouldn't be surprised if he's captain one day.
He strikes me like he's utterly coachable - a simple guy with great values. Reckon he will feel an onus to pay the club back in spades.
 
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Once you get beyond a ‘4 year deal’ it’s a bit of a token anyway isn’t it? More symbolic that what realistically may or may not happen. Look at Grundy.
No one has crystal balls (way too uncomfortable to sit cross legged for one thing).
I’m happy with this. Some good solid news amongst all the second and third guessing of trade period.
 
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I did see that. What a narcissist! Clubs don't give 7 year deals just to annoy him, but that is an amusing by product.
Yeah saw the headline, didn't read it in my defence, makes it about him. Hide like a Rhinoceros. His job is to generate hate and provoke a reaction, and he's good at it.
 
Well done Balta. You deserve this contract. You will be great leadership material, player and clubman.
 
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