Call for Richmond to Extend Noah Balta's Suspension

A Richmond supporter is calling for the club to take a stronger stance on Noah Balta's behavior, citing concerns about the message it sends to young players.

Matthew Cronin, a Richmond supporter, is calling for the club to take a stronger stance on Noah Balta's behavior. Cronin's son, Pat, was tragically killed in a one-punch assault outside a nightclub in 2016. Cronin believes that Balta's actions have brought the club into disrepute and is concerned about the message it sends to the team's young players. “He's brought Richmond into disrepute, they've got some amazing young talent at the club. What message does it send to them?” Cronin said.

Cronin is advocating for the club to extend Balta's suspension by another two weeks, stating that the current punishment doesn't seem to fit the crime. “If I put my Christian hat on, I think, at what point can we forgive?” Cronin said, questioning the balance between forgiveness and accountability. In contrast, Balta's coach, Adem Yze, has expressed enthusiasm for Balta's return to the field, while AFL CEO Andrew Dillon has stated that he is comfortable with the length and timing of the punishment handed to Balta.

He is due to face sentencing on April 22, with the maximum sanction for the charge five years imprisonment. 

Balta served a four-game suspension imposed by the AFL at the end of 2024 and is now available for selection, with the AFL community bitterly divided over whether he should be eligible to continue working between now and his potential incarceration. 

Richmond's plan was reportedly to reintroduce Balta to competitive football via the VFL, but the league has a week off this weekend because of the annual SANFL-VFL state game due to be played in Adelaide during Gather Round, whilst Richmond's VFL side has no scheduled practice game. 

The AFL is being called out for 'gross hypocrisy' over its handling of the Noah Balta saga.

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That means the Tigers will this week be forced to make a decision about whether to select Balta upon the completion of his on-field suspension or effectively stand him down. 

Outgoing AFL Players Association chief Paul Marsh, who is moving to lead the Australian Cricketers Association, supports Balta's immediate return to football. 

“There's been a disciplinary process there. Noah has served that out, so he has a right to play this week. I don't know whether he will,” Marsh said on Tuesday.

“I think playing footy can be a nice distraction, being in a club where they're actually working with him day-to-day is also really positive.

“He's gone through a process where he's been suspended, so I think it's appropriate that that's the suspension.

“He's got a criminal process that he's going through, and there'll be a determination made at the end of that. But there has been a football process, and that's the result of it.”