Rumour Noah Balta assault charges

[WeeBlake]

What happened to “he’ll cop his fair whack”?

 

[Andyy]

What an absolute load of shit.

Players from other clubs apparently doing it and getting away with it. What about them, what about this, what about that. Just pathetic. To go down a hypothetical argument to defend Balta tells me all I need to know. You couldn't give a shit about violence or the impact it has on peoples lives.

I can care about violence without thinking every single example akin to Balta's requires jail time.

The court system takes patterns and circumstance/situation into account. The (genuine) lack of intent/premeditation is the difference with this one.

 

[apollo_creed]

I can care about violence without thinking every single example akin to Balta's requires jail time.

The court system takes patterns and circumstance/situation into account. The (genuine) lack of intent/premeditation is the difference with this one.

Punching someone is a premediated act. He is very, very lucky that the victim didn't fall the wrong way otherwise playing football would be the least of his problems. Have a look at the stuff that has happened outside of nightclubs etc.
No excuses and the suspension he was given from Richmond was ridiculous.

 

[OniAu]

Love how AFL media are focusing on him missing games with the curfew, dumb @#$! is lucky he didnt kill the guy

 

[Andyy]

Punching someone is a premediated act. He is very, very lucky that the victim didn't fall the wrong way otherwise playing football would be the least of his problems. Have a look at the stuff that has happened outside of nightclubs etc.
No excuses and the suspension he was given from Richmond was ridiculous.

Regarding your first sentence, that's incorrect in strictly legal terms, and this is a legal matter heard in court - not a public lynching.

See my prior post about first and second degree murder.

Agree with your middle part.

As for the last sentence, I'm not uncomfortable with how RFC has managed it, although I also wouldn't have been uncomfortable if they'd left him suspended indefinitely until trial.

 

[LUKEHAND69]

Richmond have night games in rounds 7 and 11 (ANZAC eve and Dreamtime), plus TBD from round 16 onwards. Also not sure how this works from an interstate travel perspective?

It doesn’t work for interstate travel. That’s the punishment.

 

[TruRoo]

Players from every club commit assault probably annually but are lucky it's not on camera and they're not nailed for it. There's not a single clean club in the country in that sense.

God that's a dumb take.

 

[Glorfindel]

Couldn't richmond sub him out after 3qt and have him stay at a hotel near the MCG for the night?

Is his mum also going to pick him up from the ground?

 

[TruRoo]

Couldn't richmond sub him out after 3qt and have him stay at a hotel near the MCG for the night?

Say a Richmond player goes down injured in Q1. What should the Tigers do then?

 

[Andyy]

Say a Richmond player goes down injured in Q1. What should the Tigers do then?

Bench him at 3QT and play a man down in the 4th

 

[Andyy]

God that's a dumb take.

Care to elaborate?

Just stating my opinion that I think there's some tall poppy syndrome here.

And for every rat you see there's 50 more.

People shouldn't be sentenced based on media or public sentiment.

 

[demondavey]

Any chance Richmond plays balta in these games and activates sub at half time to allow him to make curfew?

He wouldn’t be allowed outside his home I’d say

 

[demondavey]

If ‘every day Joe’s’ are unemployed and/or with criminal records, you’d be right. Getting sentenced to prison isn’t as easy as many seem to think it is.

I think the point is that it should be. But I agree, it’s hard to get locked up.

 

[demondavey]

Sentence is about what I expected for a first offence.

Anyone who thinks he should be jailed is just hating. Players from every club commit assault probably annually but are lucky it's not on camera and they're not nailed for it. There's not a single clean club in the country in that sense.

Richmond should just play him in the night games and sub him out at 3QT, drive him home for recovery session.

Hopefully he keeps his socks pulled up here onwards.

I think that might be a stretch.

Whilst it’s in line with a first round offence I do believe he needs to spend 1-2 years in jail as a means of setting an example and stamping out this behaviour.

 

[Muddiemoose]

FWIW club statement and its reported that Noah won’t be fighting any part of his punishment and his curfews will stand



Richmond Football Club has issued the following statement:

Noah Balta

21

Noah Balta

Age

26

Ht

194cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.8

2star

K

6.7

3star

HB

3.1

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

1.9

4star

MG

236.3

4star

D

12.0

3star

K

6.7

3star

HB

5.3

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

0.3

1star

MG

233.0

4star

D

7.0

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

2.0

2star

M

1.8

2star

T

1.8

4star

MG

217.4

4star

has been fined $3000, issued with an 18-month community corrections order and assigned a three-month curfew after a court hearing in Albury today.


Balta said his actions were unacceptable and that he was deeply sorry.

“I apologise to the victim, my family and friends, and everyone associated with the Richmond Football Club,” Balta said.

“I have let a lot of people down and the lesson has been learned that violence is never the answer.

“I will continue to work to improve myself to ensure this never happens again.”

Richmond CEO Shane Dunne reiterated that Balta’s actions were unacceptable.

“Noah has been held accountable for his actions and has paid a significant price as he should,” Dunne said.

“This Club does not condone violence in any form, and it is why we took such a strong and immediate stand when this incident came to light.

“Noah has worked hard to improve himself in the months following the incident, undertaking education and counselling. That work will continue.

“With the judicial process now concluded, it remains our collective expectation that Noah learns from this, and we see the best version of him going forward.”

 

[demondavey]

Well no, who was it that was bashed whilst out celebrating their retirement, the name eludes me, but the majority said it was a dog act and should be punished to the full extent.

Jack Ziebell

 

[Andyy]

I think the point is that it should be. But I agree, it’s hard to get locked up.

I think some of the posters here need to remember, or realise for the first time, that the primary purpose of prison is actually to provide immediate safety to society - it's not actually a punitive measure primarily.

Without intent Balta is considered a lower (there is no zero) chance of re-offending and if he requires rehabilitation the courts rightly believe that can be done safely outside of prison.

Prison itself is also not necessarily the best vehicle for said rehabilitation, so it's only reserved for crimes where the risk of rehabilitation in the community places the community at an unacceptable risk.

If he re-offends or if there's intent, different story, off to prison.

 

[Andyy]

I think that might be a stretch.

Whilst it’s in line with a first round offence I do believe he needs to spend 1-2 years in jail as a means of setting an example and stamping out this behaviour.

I don't think your post makes sense.

You've said the outcome is in line with a first offence, then followed up by saying we should jail him as an example?

Does that mean that having a higher public profile should result in a harsher punishment? That's just tall poppy syndrome and speaks to a lot of the media driven hysteria.

Every individual deserves to be sentences on merit/circumstance, not their public image.

 

[demondavey]

I think some of the posters here need to remember, or realise for the first time, that the primary purpose of prison is actually to provide immediate safety to society - it's not actually a punitive measure primarily.

Without intent Balta is considered a lower (there is no zero) chance of re-offending and if he requires rehabilitation the courts rightly believe that can be done safely outside of prison.

Prison itself is also not necessarily the best vehicle for said rehabilitation, so it's only reserved for crimes where the risk of rehabilitation in the community places the community at an unacceptable risk.

If he re-offends or if there's intent, different story, off to prison.

This is true. However I feel that in order to stop the violence amongst men, the one punch hits, the violent assaults, jail should be imposed as a form of preventative measure and to send a signal that you will go to jail if you do this.

I also think that the RFC should be terminating his employment. I don’t think it’s acceptable for him to be signing autographs for kids or for the RFC to align themselves with someone who violently assaulted someone. If he stopped at the shoulder charge, ok, but the 3-4 head punches were pretty serious.

 

[Back In Town]

I think that might be a stretch.

Whilst it’s in line with a first round offence I do believe he needs to spend 1-2 years in jail as a means of setting an example and stamping out this behaviour.

Write a letter. Get lobbying. Take out an ad. Run in an election.

Whinging on BigFooty isn't going to change the penalty.

 

[demondavey]

I don't think your post makes sense.

You've said the outcome is in line with a first offence, then followed up by saying we should jail him as an example?

Does that mean that having a higher public profile should result in a harsher punishment? That's just tall poppy syndrome and speaks to a lot of the media driven hysteria.

Every individual deserves to be sentences on merit/circumstance, not their public image.

By the letter of the law, it currently is in line. However I am saying that given the severity of the assault and the fact we have seen deaths caused from these assaults that the punishment needs to increased.

I am saying that the punishment threshold needs increasing so these offences are worthy of jail time.

Forget his public image, we saw the footage. Any punter off the street doing that that is also on camera needs a full whack also. No tall poppy syndrome. Simply a harsher punishment as I think it’s a very serious offence.

 

[demondavey]

Write a letter. Get lobbying. Take out an ad. Run in an election.

Whinging on BigFooty isn't going to change the penalty.

It’s a discussion forum you muppet

 

[Back In Town]

It’s a discussion forum you muppet

Write a letter. Get lobbying. Take out an ad. Run in an election.

Discussing it on this forum isn't going to change the penalty.

 

[TruRoo]

Care to elaborate?

Just stating my opinion that I think there's some tall poppy syndrome here.

And for every rat you see there's 50 more.

People shouldn't be sentenced based on media or public sentiment.

Ok I'll elaborate.

I found your take dumb because it isn't something a person of any sane or rational mind would take.

You said "Players from every club commit assault probably annually". Do you believe if this were to be actually happening at every club every year that it wouldn't get followed up on and reported? That people will just shrug and say "ah an AFL player hit someone again - this happens all the time don't worry".

Like I said. Dumb.

 

[demondavey]

Write a letter. Get lobbying. Take out an ad. Run in an election.

Discussing it on a forum isn't going to change the penalty.

Of course it isn’t, but BF is a site for discussions.