Richmond leave Balta out of AFL side amid assault
Richmond has officially resisted bringing Noah Balta straight back into their AFL side as he awaits sentencing over a serious assault charge.
Balta has served a club-sanctioned four-match ban — which was endorsed by the league — but has not been named in the Tigers’ side to face Fremantle at Barossa Park on Sunday.
The call comes just hours after Victorian premier Jacinta Allen lashed out at the club and the league for making Balta available for selection, joining a public push for him to sit out games before his next court appearance.
The loss of young forward Harry Armstrong — who Balta would have replaced in the forward line — indicates the Tigers have made the call on non-football grounds.
Balta has pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after an incident outside the Mulwala Water Ski Club in New South Wales on April 22.
Ms Allen hit the AFL and the Tigers with a please explain over allowing the 25-year-old to be considered for selection on Thursday.
“Having looked at the footage … what a sickening attack that was,” she said.
“Like many Victorians … I’ll be sitting down with the kids, they’ll be watching Hawthorn, I’ll be looking at Essendon’s results. Either way, when we sit down (and watch the footy) how do we explain to kids, particularly, how do we answer that question?
“How does the AFL and the Richmond Football Club answer that question about what’s going on here? What sort of message does this send to kids about what’s right and what’s wrong?
“I think that’s really a question that the AFL and Richmond need to answer.
“Let’s remember the victim here who would no doubt be deeply traumatised by this experience.”
There are no VFL games this weekend because the league has descended on Adelaide for its annual Gather Round. It means Balta can’t play at any level this week.
Fremantle v Richmond Barrosa ParkSunday, 10.35am
Fremantle
B: J Draper A Pearce B Cox
HB: H Chapman L Ryan J Clark
C: M Reid H Young J O’Meara
HF: M Frederick S Switkowski S Bolton
F: P Voss J Treacy J Amiss
FOL: S Darcy C Serong A Brayshaw
I/C: M Johnson J Sharp B Banfield I Dudley K Worner L Reidy O McDonald J Aish
IN: H Young S Switkowski S Darcy L Reidy O McDonald J Aish
OUT: C Wagner N O’Driscoll L Jackson (all injured)
Richmond
B: N Vlaustin B Miller N Broad
HB: J Short L Trainor J Trezise
C: S Banks K McIntosh T Sonsie
HF: J Ross S Campbell S Green
F: M Rioli T Lynch J Faull
FOL: T Nankervis T Taranto J Hopper
I/C: J Blight H Raphsmith K Smith T Dow J Bauer T Brown S Ryan C Gray
IN: m Rioli J Faull H Ralphsmith S Ryan C Gray
OUT: S Lalor H Amstrong (both injured)