Player Watch #21: Noah Balta

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Feb 23, 2009
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The thing with CHF/B is hes already shown he's a good defender, if we keep playing him there he's very likely to be great for the next decade.

Playing him forward, hed have a fair bit of craft to learn, but given his atheltic and physical attributes, he could be a star if it all clicks.

It's a tough choice.
 

SDMTiger4

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I think Noah could play anywhere. However I hope the club is careful with his development. What I wouldn't like to see is a case of "robbing Peter to pay Paul". At the moment I'm happy to see him remain a KPD, but knowing that he can be used as a pinch hitter to fill a need when necessary.
 

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His potential is amazing. But right now make him an AA KPD. If we develop/acquire more high grade KPD then we can make him something else. He'd be a great KPF, if his leading brain is good. No idea. And is he a good goal kicker? But the thing I reckon he'd be amazing for is as a 2nd ruck/mid. Allow him to roam and play the link and long kick forward, along with filling to hole/intercept marking. His speed and power would allow him to be a high impact wing type at times. And, of course, if he can do contested work he'd make that Carlton guy look slow, weak and a total plodder - oh yeah his name is Cripps, I forgot.
 
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I miss rance a lot.

Thank God for this bloke what a machine
When I look at Rance I feel like looking at my 1st serious girlfriend that I was batting above my average.
Now I see Balta and I feel like my wife. Wasn’t sure how it would turn out like at the start but then turned into a babe and now we’re making babies
 
When I look at Rance I feel like looking at my 1st serious girlfriend that I was batting above my average.
Now I see Balta and I feel like my wife. Wasn’t sure how it would turn out like at the start but then turned into a babe and now we’re making babies

Pics?
 

smurfin

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Balta at pick 25 will end up in the top few players from the 2017 draft which was a weak draft.
Just had a browse through that draft list and you're not wrong:
Aaron Naughton & maybe Cam Raynor are the only 2 in the top 10 that excite me at all.

Balta looking quite good value at 25 at the moment.
 

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Just had a browse through that draft list and you're not wrong:
Aaron Naughton & maybe Cam Raynor are the only 2 in the top 10 that excite me at all.

Balta looking quite good value at 25 at the moment.
Think you are selling quite a few short

LDU
Cerra
Brayshaw

All are tracking to be future stars of the comp
Worpel at pick 45 is an absolute steal and not to mention Tim Kelly
 

smurfin

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Think you are selling quite a few short

LDU
Cerra
Brayshaw

All are tracking to be future stars of the comp
Worpel at pick 45 is an absolute steal and not to mention Tim Kelly
Fair enough. Still early days, but I don't see any of those being a Cotch, Dusty, Buddy, Judd, Hodge, Matt Rowell, King twin type superstar that you can base your team around for the future. Although, I would have said the same about Lachie Neale not too long ago.
Some drafts seem to have several of those players, some don't.
I'm very happy that we were able to pick Cotch(2007) & Dusty(2009) when we had picks 2 & 3.

If it was 2008 draft:
Picks 2-5 were Nic Nat, Stephen Hill, Hamish Hartlett, Michael Hurley - Nic Nat would have been OK
If it was 2010 draft:
picks 2-5 were Harley Bennel, Sam Day, Andrew Gaff, Jared Polec. - Andrew Gaff OK, but not superstar status
2011 draft
Picks 2-5 were Stephen Coniglio, Dom Tyson, Will Hoskin-Elliot, Matt Buntine. Coniglio would have been OK.
 
I think Noah could play anywhere. However I hope the club is careful with his development. What I wouldn't like to see is a case of "robbing Peter to pay Paul". At the moment I'm happy to see him remain a KPD, but knowing that he can be used as a pinch hitter to fill a need when necessary.

I think you are right, Balta could be developed to play anywhere, but unlike the past when systems were less fundamental, that are more complex now and take time to develop a full understanding and appreciation of - it's why the teams with the most settled line-up are often the most successful in this era. Sheedy was big on this, and while he could swing the odd change, it took a while for Lucas to move effectively from CHB to CHF for example.
 
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Hank Heavenly

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Fair enough. Still early days, but I don't see any of those being a Cotch, Dusty, Buddy, Judd, Hodge, Matt Rowell, King twin type superstar that you can base your team around for the future. Although, I would have said the same about Lachie Neale not too long ago.
Some drafts seem to have several of those players, some don't.
I'm very happy that we were able to pick Cotch(2007) & Dusty(2009) when we had picks 2 & 3.

If it was 2008 draft:
Picks 2-5 were Nic Nat, Stephen Hill, Hamish Hartlett, Michael Hurley - Nic Nat would have been OK
If it was 2010 draft:
picks 2-5 were Harley Bennel, Sam Day, Andrew Gaff, Jared Polec. - Andrew Gaff OK, but not superstar status
2011 draft
Picks 2-5 were Stephen Coniglio, Dom Tyson, Will Hoskin-Elliot, Matt Buntine. Coniglio would have been OK.
gee you're not giving enough credit to a few there...

Stephen Hill was Freo's second best player when they were contending for 2-3 years, Hamish Hartlett has been above serviceable at Port and Micheal Hurley was the second or third best defender in the comp at his peak.

Day couldve been but that injury ruined him, Gaff is a superstar, and Polec was better than any of our wingers in his time at Port, chasing the cash killed him

Cogs would slot into our midfield easily, WHE when played in the right spot can be very damaging.

At the end of the day, these players would take a spot of one of our players, and if hey were already Richmond players you would be signing their praises.
I would have every player you've listed in 2008 at the club in a heartbeat if given the chance.
 

smurfin

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gee you're not giving enough credit to a few there...

Stephen Hill was Freo's second best player when they were contending for 2-3 years, Hamish Hartlett has been above serviceable at Port and Micheal Hurley was the second or third best defender in the comp at his peak.

Day couldve been but that injury ruined him, Gaff is a superstar, and Polec was better than any of our wingers in his time at Port, chasing the cash killed him

Cogs would slot into our midfield easily, WHE when played in the right spot can be very damaging.

At the end of the day, these players would take a spot of one of our players, and if hey were already Richmond players you would be signing their praises.
I would have every player you've listed in 2008 at the club in a heartbeat if given the chance.
I can't even remember what my original point was anymore.
I'm not trying to say those players are spuds and wouldn't find a place in our team. Just that as top 5 picks, I'm fairly happy we had picks 2 & 3 in the years we got Cotch & Dusty instead of any of those.
Could argue some of those players have performed better than Cotchin, but our culture owes a lot to him.
And I'm not going to listen to anyone who says they'd rather one of those players than Dusty.
 
Feb 23, 2009
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balta forward IMHO
The conundrum is what do you do if he spends the year at CHB in 2021 and is close to/AA level?
That's very possible with his current trajectory. Do you risk that and redevelop him to try and find a forward or do you take a star CHB for the next decade?
 
Feb 23, 2009
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Or new kouta ruck rover
But even that is a significant learning curve and not an easy position to dominate. He's already really good as a KPD, do we try and fix something that isn't broken and risk that for a guy that could be an AA defender within 2 years?
 

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