Tigers star Balta ‘flat’ after shock curfew call
Oliver Caffrey |
Richmond coach Adem Yze has described Noah Balta as “flat” and “emotional” following the Tigers star receiving a night-time curfew by a court.
A day after Balta was sentenced for assaulting a man in regional NSW on December 30 last year, Yze addressed the media at Richmond’s Punt Rd headquarters on Wednesday.
After taking eight questions related to Balta to begin the press conference, Yze attempted to move on to other matters.
Richmond’s head of communications Nicki Malady then interjected and told reporters to “move on”.
“We’re done with Balta, we’ve got a game tomorrow night,” she said.
Richmond decided against negotiating the punishment, so Balta will miss this Thursday night’s clash with Melbourne at the MCG.
Balta will also have to sit out the Dreamtime match against Essendon on May 23, and a twilight clash with GWS at Engie Stadium on May 31 because he wouldn’t be able to get back from Sydney in time to make the 10pm curfew.
The 25-year-old could also miss numerous other matches before his curfew is lifted on July 22 due to the floating fixture still yet to be confirmed from round 16 onwards.
Balta won’t play for Richmond’s VFL team on Thursday, either, even though it is a day game against the Casey Demons.
He also didn’t attend training on Wednesday.
“(Tuesday) was a big day for him, a long day,” Yze said.
“A three-hour drive to Albury and back.
“We’re coming off a five day break (after beating Gold Coast), so we’ve got to look after him, look after his body, and he’ll look forward to playing against Hawthorn next week.”
Balta declined to speak to the media following the resolution of his court case on Tuesday, with Richmond instead releasing a statement with quotes attributed to him and Tigers chief executive Shane Dunne.
“Obviously a little bit worried about what he could say,” Yze said of Balta.
“He’s obviously disappointed, he’s flat, he’s emotional, so we’ve just got to protect him with that.
“He’ll speak when it’s his right time to speak and you will sense how remorseful he is.”
Richmond’s decision to select Balta against Gold Coast last Saturday night, just three days before he was sentenced, prompted a strong reaction.
Richmond great Jack Riewoldt has been among the critics of his former club’s handling of the situation.
The Tigers have repeatedly backed their call to bring Balta back in before his court case resolved.
He was initially given a four-game suspension by Richmond, followed by a week in the VFL, before making a crucial impact on his AFL return when he kept Suns spearhead Ben King to one goal in an upset win.
The 25-year-old was eventually fined $3000, given an 18-month community corrections order and assigned the 10pm to 6am curfew.
But Balta won’t face any additional sanctions from the AFL.
“(Balta) knew that he did wrong and he was going to be punished,” Yze said.
“So to go through that (appealing the curfew) for another six weeks, we just thought it was too hard, not only on him, but on our footy club and our playing group.”
Balta has found significant support from his former coach, Damien Hardwick, who slammed comments made by Victorian premier Jacinta Allan about the premiership player being able to play before his case finished.
Hardwick doubled down on the opinions he voiced following Gold Coast’s defeat to Richmond.
“All I want it to be is, really hard on crime,” the Suns coach said on Wednesday in a response to a question from an ABC journalist.
“Less talk, more action (from) magistrates, premiers, less talking, less chest beating, more getting to work and getting it done.
“We as tax-payers demand it, you as a tax-payer funded organisation, ABC, should be demanding more of it.
“Less questioning me, more questioning premiers.”
Young defender Campbell Gray will make his AFL debut as a replacement for Balta in the Anzac Eve match.
AAP
