Remember 'Alex Rance moments'? Enter Noah Balta
- Thread starter Rimmer
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At the start of the footy season Rance is 30 and Astbury is 29 it really is a must imo to know you have the replacements in your system and you really want to be getting games into them if possible
Balta played 13 games last yr with another pre season behind him you would expect real improvement, it is by no means a reach to suggest he would play a majority of games next yr. In many ways it is something that needs to happen. What it also suggests is someone is going to miss out.
Thats unfortunate but neccesary.
I have pointed out that nearly every time Astbury, Rance, Grimes and Broad have all been available fit we have played them. So even if Balta was not in the frame one of the smaller defenders is coming out for Rance possibly Baker.
If Balta is in the picture then id say Broad who is the worst of the talls he cant do Astbury's role and is way behind Grimes and Rance is likely to miss also. Grimes will go back to his role on smaller types rather than kp and Rance will be afforded the luxury of playing third tall general.While Balta gains experience in the key post with these blokes around him helping. IMO it is the most logical thing that needs to happen if we have just a little inclination toward succession planning.
13 games this yr im hoping for a few more next yr and he establishes himself in the team.
Agree, would love to see him play the majority of the season. Rance takes Broad's place in my best 22 anyway. Balta may not be there rd.1 but he should be the next one in or there abouts. At the very least he should be played CHB in the pre-season games and take it from there.
He can kick 65 with a drop punt, he'd be in danger of 75+ metres if he got onto a torp
...... Gives you the horn just thinking about it
Thought he was still out of this depth last year. As he played most of the last half in the 2s, or as the gapfill 2nd ruck in the AFL team, not down back, it seems that is how match committee saw it. Not able yet to play down back in the seniors.
Another pre-season under his belt.. so we'll see. Still prefer all of Rance, Astbury, Grimes and Broad there. Could he take Grimes role, and Grimes do Baker's role. Then if Balta is struggling... ie his man is carving us up, Grimes goes there, or if he is having absolutely zero impact, he could be thrown on ball, without disrupting the backline set up too much as the mainstays are all still there.
Another pre-season under his belt.. so we'll see. Still prefer all of Rance, Astbury, Grimes and Broad there. Could he take Grimes role, and Grimes do Baker's role. Then if Balta is struggling... ie his man is carving us up, Grimes goes there, or if he is having absolutely zero impact, he could be thrown on ball, without disrupting the backline set up too much as the mainstays are all still there.
Balta showed some good moments but then ran out of puff towards the end of the year...Will watch to see how he travels this year with another Pre-season and a taste of Seniors and watching the AFL GF win after playing in the VFL GF win!
his development is tracking nicely. He will take another couple of years to become an AFL level footballer. By that time we might have a Rance retirement. It was inaresting that the slightly shorter Grimes stepped into Rance role this year. But Broad and Grimes can play on all types of forward. See how Rance rebounds this year. You'd think he's be physically ready from Round 1. Balta on the other hand will be 21 next year. So young. Can be played in a variety of positions. I see him as a wing.
