Noah Balta on the Wing - Richo 2.0?

[Tzatziki_Man]

Okay...

He plays defense, does well, eventually stagnates and Dimma moves him forward during the preseason a few years back and plays him forward for a few weeks.

It fails miserably, he moves back into defense with some good results, he's got great rebounding ability, great intercept capability, fast for a big man with a weapon as a right leg.

Now he's forward again...


Whoever the new coach is, please play him on the wing. I have a feeling he could be trained to revolutionize the wing role, Richo 2.0.

He's got the speed on him to cover so much territory in a game that's all about territory, he's got the boot on him to clear zones and get it deep into the forward line. He could be a real asset and we don't know what to do with him. So it would be nice to see him become Richo 2.0 and have five years to play it rather than just one season.

Thoughts?

 

[Darth_Tiger]

In the words of The Emperor: Do it!

 

[Ancient Tiger]

His best position is wing. He can roam up the forward line and snag a goal and he can roam down back and give an extra hand in defence. His long kicking can set things up in our forward line. He is also then a marking target down the line. Just get him fitter.

I posted this a week ago in the Noah Balta thread. So we are obviously in agreement.

 

[Karp3_dm]

No reason not to try it as long as we get Gibcus back

 

[Ralll]

He's not smart enough for wing or forward, but he could be a great full back if he continues his current progression.

 

[biaseddustyfan]

I think he could do it but he needs to have the tank and workrate to get up and back all day...does he have that yet? I know he's fast and athletic but what about his endurance?

 

[juss]

If there's one thing his development needs, it's another new position.

 

[Ancient Tiger]

If there's one thing his development needs, it's another new position.

Wing is perfect. When you run back you can help defend. When you run forward you can help provide another option. He's played both so he has an idea of what to do in both positions.

 

[tiger_tough]

Hes a dumb footballer. Best suited as an intercepting backman.

Gibcus has all the tools to be a forward.

 

[Tiges1229]

To dumb

 

[Serenity_Now]

Wouldn’t have the tank to be able to play on the wing.

 

[GoTigers2015]

That idea would be laughed out of match committee. The wing role requires a huge tank, so chucking a big bloke on the wing won't work now.

 

[Ancient Tiger]

That idea would be laughed out of match committee. The wing role requires a huge tank, so chucking a big bloke on the wing work now.

Played ruck mid as a junior and so he has a tank. Just needs a big preseason.

 

[GoTigers2015]

Played ruck mid as a junior and so he has a tank. Just needs a big preseason.

Doesn't have the endurance.

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Doesn't have the endurance.

Which means he needs a big preseason.....

 

[Mr Magic]

Lol, clearly we should trade Lynch out so Balta, Ryan, Gibcus and Bauer amongst others can find their spots in the forward line if not elsewhere.

Not sure Balta has the vision and smarts for defence and a good enough athlete for wing apart from skills.

Looks more like a forward prospect I think who can kick long and straight and is a difficult matchup

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Balta's strengths suit him to playing in the positions the ball has to go through to score at either end. Definitely not the wing. He just has to keep playing and learning his method as a key position player, he will only improve from here. If the team was functioning well overall he is well capable of becoming a huge weapon at either end of the ground. He isn't Rance, he isn't Richardson, the team just has to get his role and method right within his own capabilities. He can really hurt teams this bloke but just needs to keep learning what to do and when.

 

[Truetiger]

If we have the players to cover him down back, I wouldn’t be against it. Would help with our forward entry

 

[richoplzbreed]

I've been saying for years this bloke really should be Kouta mk II! Would love to see him, Short and Banks rotated as winger's. Balta could be rested deep forward when he's running low about half way through 2nd quarter and again when he needs a spell after 1/2 time. Would be awesome seeing Short and Balta running 15-30m down wing then launching 60m drop punts circumventing defences catching opposition off guard.

The next coach could revolutionise the game by leaving Lunch deep in goal square with a crumbling forward lurking 30m out waiting for a crumb. Lunch probably does 6-8km unnecessary running each game that Plugger or Dunstall would quit if they had to. No opponent would dare peel off him as they'd get embarrassed. People wanna see full forwards lead and take marks and kick truly, not run all over the ground then struggle to get back and miss shots cos their legs are tired.

 

[Coach_Required]

After he has started the game on a wing, he needs to then go into the guts and be a ruck rover. Then during the end of the 1st quarter throw him up forward, if the team is down during the 2nd quarter put him into the back line and then make him a rebounding half back flanker because we are definitely short of those types at the club. Then once the second half starts, rinse and repeat.

Balta is a freak.

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Balta's strengths suit him to playing in the positions the ball has to go through to score at either end. Definitely not the wing. He just has to keep playing and learning his method as a key position player, he will only improve from here. If the team was functioning well overall he is well capable of becoming a huge weapon at either end of the ground. He isn't Rance, he isn't Richardson, the team just has to get his role and method right within his own capabilities. He can really hurt teams this bloke but just needs to keep learning what to do and when.

Sorry, but you just perfectly described the wing as many attacks go through the wings. He also would be a difficult person to man up on as at 197cm, he would be a great marking option down the line.

 

[French Tiger]

As much as he is athletic I don’t think he has the tank for the wing. Maybe at times for a burst there.

Non stop running when on a wing


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tackle Bag]

We would have been absolutely destroyed in several games this year without him playing in defence.
Him and Gibcus can hold our defence together for years to come.

He’s not a forward, and he’s far too valuable as a key defender for us to move him to a wing in my opinion

 

[Vassp]

I love the idea, as long as we have enough KP players to make up for his loss. Even Noah at CHF is good. he attacks the ball really well and shows a bit of carey type aggression.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Sorry, but you just perfectly described the wing as many attacks go through the wings. He also would be a difficult person to man up on as at 197cm, he would be a great marking option down the line.

2023 AFL League Score Involvements Per Game Leaders

2023 AFL League Score Involvements Per Game Leaders.

www.footywire.com

Above is a link to AFL players ranked by score involvements per game in 2023. How many wingers do you see in the top 100?

You don't win anything worthwhile with funk. If you play Balta out there on a wing and try to play through him it might work out ok, it might not. He could get embarrassed for lack of tank and knowhow, that is one possibility. But let's say he fires and starts racking up 8 score involvements per game because the likes of Lachie Hunter can't cope with him. How long until teams would just locate a suitable player to keep him quiet?

Wingers need to run both ways and they need to be able to time which way they run with precision. Balta is no more a winger than a Grand Pianist. He needs to be played in positions where the ball is brought to him and he has one clear direction he needs to run most of the time. He gets totally lost defending at times playing Full Back, how do you think that is going to translate to the wing? He would not know if he was Arthur or Martha.