Player Watch #21: Noah Balta

DoItForCaptBlood

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Sep 8, 2008
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Fair call. To me he looked a bit lost in defence, but I get the question mark over whether he has the footy IQ to play on the wing. He has the athleticism, combined with the marking ability to cause headaches for oppo teams. With a bit of aggro he could be the taller, more skilful and more athletic version of Macintosh. :cool:
OK. I'll take the MacIntosh comparison over the Richo one. So now the question mark is on his tank. But he has another preseason to work on it.
 

Marcel Proust

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With Bigoa joining richmond I wonder what the clubs thoughts are about who is trained as forward, who as a back

Balta, Nyuon , Miller, Chol ...

CCJ - ruck or forward?

Balta is a highly talented player, who be good to see him break into the senior team. Im guessing putting pressure on Broad or taking the Ellis wing spot is his most likely routes
 

Grrr

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Balta is a wingman, not sure why people keep saying he is a KPP

He has the capabilities to becoming the most dynamic Wingman the game has ever seen
He may become a wingman, but no hurry there. Train him as a CHB because if Rance or Astbury goes down, he will be needed/valuable there.
Down the track, or when he gets a run in the seniors then he may have a run as a second ruck or possibly on the winger. He could be as good as Rance with his ability, he is certainly better at the same age.
 

Grrr

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With Bigoa joining richmond I wonder what the clubs thoughts are about who is trained as forward, who as a back

Balta, Nyuon , Miller, Chol ...

CCJ - ruck or forward?

Balta is a highly talented player, who be good to see him break into the senior team. Im guessing putting pressure on Broad or taking the Ellis wing spot is his most likely routes
The spine in the VFL could be:

B: Nyuon
HB: Balta
C: CCJ
HF: Miller
FF: Chol
 

Infamy

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Oct 1, 2004
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Balta is a wingman, not sure why people keep saying he is a KPP

He has the capabilities to becoming the most dynamic Wingman the game has ever seen
Doesn't have the tank for it yet and likely won't for another 2-3 years.
Train him in defence for now and then as he gets a better running ability then that option can be more realistic
 
like richo :openmouth:

Richo was always a running beast. Balta is fast, but no endurance. Wing demands endurance. Maybe he'll get there. But build him over time.

If he has the endurance to run on a wing all game, and we don't need him as a KP, then I reckon he'd be awesome moving the ball on with those booming kicks, and he's a great release target down the ground. Right now he's a pinch hitter at AFL level.

2 more years and we'll see what we have.
 
Feb 23, 2009
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Regardless of where it is, ruck, defence, forward, wing, midfield, I hope they settle and train him in one position over the preseason to really see what he can do. This whole one game forward, one back, one quarter in defence, a half in the midfield, a final quarter forward stuff - it just doesn't work with young players and in most cases just doesn't let them reach their full potential.

I reckon he could be great in a position, but he needs to learn it and commit to it and continually grow in that one spot.
 

Marcel Proust

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Marcel Proust

"Oohh WADA ooga booga" {Jul 11 2013}
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Richo was always a running beast. Balta is fast, but no endurance. Wing demands endurance. Maybe he'll get there. But build him over time.

If he has the endurance to run on a wing all game, and we don't need him as a KP, then I reckon he'd be awesome moving the ball on with those booming kicks, and he's a great release target down the ground. Right now he's a pinch hitter at AFL level.

2 more years and we'll see what we have.

he could play on the bench a fair bit?

like Soldo, Nank, Short, Baker

even Cotchin more recently
 
he could play on the bench a fair bit?

like Soldo, Nank, Short, Baker

even Cotchin more recently

Yes he could. But that lowers his impact as a winger. Right now he's an impact player rather than a repeat effort player.
 
Jul 3, 2008
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Regardless of where it is, ruck, defence, forward, wing, midfield, I hope they settle and train him in one position over the preseason to really see what he can do. This whole one game forward, one back, one quarter in defence, a half in the midfield, a final quarter forward stuff - it just doesn't work with young players and in most cases just doesn't let them reach their full potential.

I reckon he could be great in a position, but he needs to learn it and commit to it and continually grow in that one spot.
Chol and CJ are 2 position players. Ruck fwd. I would develop them in those 2 position. Balta is a different story and with his run and kick and height I hope he ends up playing on the wing. If he plays games in the back line it'll be good because he has a structure around him. The advantage of back up ruck is that he can follow the ball. I look forward to his year
 
Apr 2, 2006
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I would love for Balta to be the next Rance, but aside from their athleticism, they have very different skill sets in my opinion. Don't think Balta has the discipline to ever be a permanent backman, just as Rance did not have Balta's natural goal instincts, and ability to play ruck.
 
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