Player Watch #21: Noah Balta - Signed Until 2032

[TigerImposter]

Outperformed millon dollar Tom .

You could do that after a slab of beer

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

You could do that after a slab of beer

There's nothing I can't do after a slab of beer.

 

[_RT_]

Still believe that he needs to be plonked at CHB and left there as it was where he looked his best playing at VFL level last year. Has all the same traits as Rance did early on. Prone to making the odd error like the dropped mark running into an open goal but then does the stuff like the goal he kicked burning off Cordy. I think that if left at CHB with a licence to attack the ball when it comes in he'll be sensational. Has a lethal boot on him as well in that he can quickly turn defence into attack and the speed to close down opponents or breakaway from them depending on the situation. At the moment though he is needed as a bit of pinch hitter playing in all 3 areas of the ground and just not getting that consistent development in any one role.

Regardless I wouldn't be dropping him any time soon.

 

[guruisatiger]

Now that jacks out until the bye,,, 6 more matches,,wonder if the match committee
Will settle big Noah at CHB,, bring in big In big ivy to play ruck, which will
Give nank a chance to play more forward, ,, maybe maybe maybe

 

[THE_GUN]

I’ve been thinking the same for a while now. His aerobic capacity is improving by the games played and if he gets anywhere near Kouta’s levels then he’ll be a monster and pretty well unstoppable. I think Richo should be his personal trainer as he was a machine as well. It’s going to be amazing watching him in two years time when he takes teams apart.

100% Correct , If ever a player needed to be gven game time its Balta , His development must be fast tracked and as TI mentioned in 2 years time there wont be many AFL players that will be able to go with him.

Position : I see him more as a wing/HF but not a true KPP either foward or back and i think we would e wasting his talents playing him in 1 position, Having a look at some of the freakish things he does you would hate to see him just try and stop fowards or be negated by defenders that are just hacking him , If there is 1 thing that i remember about a 30+ Richo playing off the wing it was - Why didnt we play him here before

Foward / Ruck / Wing / Centre / Back - Just let the kid go

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

Now that jacks out until the bye,,, 6 more matches,,wonder if the match committee
Will settle big Noah at CHB,, bring in big In big ivy to play ruck, which will
Give nank a chance to play more forward, ,, maybe maybe maybe

Not bad...Nanks would be good at chf...

 

[Coach_Required]

I'd play Balta at CHB, move Lynch to CHF and play Nank at FF and bring in Soldo to ruck with Nankervis.

 

[guruisatiger]

I'd play Balta at CHB, move Lynch to CHF and play Nank at FF and bring in Soldo to ruck with Nankervis.

Agree whole heartedly,,great minds think alike

 

[guruisatiger]

Not bad...Nanks would be good at chf...

Or full fwd works either way,
Will help our clearance work as well

 

[tunksy]

I'd play Balta at CHB, move Lynch to CHF and play Nank at FF and bring in Soldo to ruck with Nankervis.

Only down side tothat is we would be incredibly slow.

 

[tora tora tora]

100% Correct , If ever a player needed to be gven game time its Balta , His development must be fast tracked and as TI mentioned in 2 years time there wont be many AFL players that will be able to go with him.

Position : I see him more as a wing/HF but not a true KPP either foward or back and i think we would e wasting his talents playing him in 1 position, Having a look at some of the freakish things he does you would hate to see him just try and stop fowards or be negated by defenders that are just hacking him , If there is 1 thing that i remember about a 30+ Richo playing off the wing it was - Why didnt we play him here before

Foward / Ruck / Wing / Centre / Back - Just let the kid go

We are seeing the freakishly good and bad from young Noah. Great running goal but then poor defensive positioning in marking contests when playing down back. I also like his ruckwork. I'd have him train and play with the backline for the rest of this year. Be playing TOG like a key defender and see how he develops. I don't like the look of Lynch the last few weeks. He needs more space to develop a leading game I reckon, not more tall fwds around him. When Rance comes back next year. We look at playing Balta in a different role. Eg, Grigg's position. He has developed good defensive traits by then and can use that as a base to play more midfield. And thinking of that Richo in midfield example; I wouldn't mind JR doing that.

 

[Coach_Required]

Only down side tothat is we would be incredibly slow.

True but atm we just seem to bang it long to Lynch 3 on 1 who just seems to be losing confidence so pushing him up to CHF might give him the chance to run a bit more freely and make his defender more accountable.

I also feel Nankervis needs some help in the Ruck especially when he needs a spell.

 

[tunksy]

True but atm we just seem to bang it long to Lynch 3 on 1 who just seems to be losing confidence so pushing him up to CHF might give him the chance to run a bit more freely and make his defender more accountable.

I also feel Nankervis needs some help in the Ruck especially when he needs a spell.

Agree with lynch. He needs a hand desperately. His run is being blocked and he's constantly got more than one defender on him. Chf should be his go, but is his fitness up to scratch? Do we play him upfield and sit caddy or Martin or even Townsend one out?

Not sure playing Nank deep more often gives us the best option. We lose the physical presence in the midfield. We lose speed and pressure up forward. Soldo maybe a better tap ruck but offers little around the ground nor does he drift back like bank.

Balta should be played forward and do his stints as 2nd ruck. He gives us that mobility and speed still. We were robbed of that vs the dogs because we didn't select a tall to replace astbury.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

I'd play Balta at CHB, move Lynch to CHF and play Nank at FF and bring in Soldo to ruck with Nankervis.

I'd bring in townsend and let townsend, dusty, caddy and balta all rotate through the middle, high half forward and deep. I'd also bring in soldo and let hank play deep and force the opposition to go to either he or lynch when nank rests..

 

[guruisatiger]

True but atm we just seem to bang it long to Lynch 3 on 1 who just seems to be losing confidence so pushing him up to CHF might give him the chance to run a bit more freely and make his defender more accountable.

I also feel Nankervis needs some help in the Ruck especially when he needs a spell.

Agreed,, would love to see Soldo play for the next 6 games
Lets see if he does or doesn't have the tools to make it

 

[Bojangles17]

Understandably in the excitement of recent weeks people are posting here to sign up Bolton, Stack, Balta, Baker, Ross etc. All these guys will have managers who would not be doing their jobs correctly if they advised their men to hastily sign deals at under the odds. The managers will know other clubs will be interested in these players. I would think we would need to create cap space in order to maximise our chances of not losing some of these great young players. The obvious way to do that is to hasten retirements or unload free agents of players you think you can replace.

This is why I mentioned Ellis, he is a) a free agent who is likely to be worth more to the highest bidder of the other 17 clubs than he is to us, and b) clearly not irreplaceable on his record since the start of 2018.

I am not one who just wants to get rid of every player with flaws, but reading between the lines I am pretty sure if Ellis stays it costs us one of the young guns. If you had to choose how to spend $350-400k, do you spend it on a year 3 Balta, a year 4 Bolton, a year 2 Stack, a year 3 Baker, or an exposed C/B Grade player like Ellis? These are the questions I am pretty sure the club will need to face.

Precisely ,

 

[Muddiemoose]

I'd bring in townsend and let townsend, dusty, caddy and balta all rotate through the middle, high half forward and deep. I'd also bring in soldo and let hank play deep and force the opposition to go to either he or lynch when nank rests..

Not a huge fan of having lynch, nank, soldo and balta all in the same team especially since the only two that offer anything down back are nank and balta plus if we throw Towner in the mix along with caddy it leaves or forward line pretty slow and top heavy

I like the structure as it is now except with a kpd in the backline so it leaves Balta to continue playing forward

 

[Bojangles17]

Reckon Balta will make most progress when he goes back. Learn to read it coming in whilst defending will fast track him . Don’t see him as a natural forward right now. Love his athleticism, can really motor

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Not a huge fan of having lynch, nank, soldo and balta all in the same team especially since the only two that offer anything down back are nank and balta plus if we throw Towner in the mix along with caddy it leaves or forward line pretty slow and top heavy

I like the structure as it is now except with a kpd in the backline so it leaves Balta to continue playing forward

If you actually look at the premiership side and consider lynch for reiwoldt and balta for grigg the only variation is playing soldo which we did often enough during 2017.
We are a mile too small ATM.

 

[Muddiemoose]

If you actually look at the premiership side and consider lynch for reiwoldt and balta for grigg the only variation is playing soldo which we did often enough during 2017.
We are a mile too small ATM.

But the difference right now is that Balta isn’t ready to play long stints in the middle he’s having cameos when Nank is resting but the rest of the game he is playing forward or back
Where grigg was playing out on the wings or lineing up in the middle when not rucking

Maybe in a year or two when Balta can play longer minutes on the wing but as of now adding an extra tall to the squad will just disrupt more than it will benefit

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

But the difference right now is that Balta isn’t ready to play long stints in the middle he’s having cameos when Nank is resting but the rest of the game he is playing forward or back
Where grigg was playing out on the wings or lineing up in the middle when not rucking

Maybe in a year or two when Balta can play longer minutes on the wing but as of now adding an extra tall to the squad will just disrupt more than it will benefit

Yep , dusty , caddy are also strugglibg to have long stints in the guts as well, which is why I suggested a 4 way switch. They would all only have to play on ball 25% of the time they were on the ground. Would also give us a lead up target whilst we dont have jack.

 

[Charlie Pannam]

He’s going to be one mean SOB by the time he’s 22, the type that makes opposition nervous when he’s around.

At the moment he’s a bit like a raw colt running around using energy unnecessarily but once he understands structures and reads the game watch out !!

Personally reckon he’s been fantastic and performed above expectations

 

[Sir_Loin]

He’s going to be one mean SOB by the time he’s 22, the type that makes opposition nervous when he’s around.

At the moment he’s a bit like a raw colt running around using energy unnecessarily but once he understands structures and reads the game watch out !!

Personally reckon he’s been fantastic and performed above expectations

Just have to keep playing him and building his confidence. The silver lining with the injuries we have is that Balta plays more games. And Stack. And Ross. And Baker.

Club is doing what it should be doing IMO.

 

[Charlie Pannam]

Just have to keep playing him and building his confidence. The silver lining with the injuries we have is that Balta plays more games. And Stack. And Ross. And Baker.

Club is doing what it should be doing IMO.

100%
For a guy like Balta, who has all the tools apart from footy smarts the quickest way to get him up to scratch is to play him. He’ll make mistakes along the way but all part of the process

 

[mad_tiggy911]

He should watch more footy and learn.

Doesn't any watch footy. Hated watching it pre draft.