Noah Balta

Balta spent his second pre-season training as a forward and ruck and showed progress by kicking two goals in an intra-club practice in late February 2019. It was enough to earn him a berth in the club's first official pre-season match, a community series match against Melbourne in Shepparton. Balta earned significant public and media attention with a "massive" second quarter performance in which he kicked two goals, took five intercept marks and recorded seven disposals on his way to a total of 18 disposals, nine inside 50s, six marks and two goals for the day. He followed that up with one more goal in the club's final pre-season match before earning a senior AFL debut in the season-opening match against Carlton at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Playing as a forward and a relief ruckman, Balta managed one goal in the match, doing so with his first kick in league football. In that same match, All-Australian defender Alex Rance suffered a season-ending knee injury, leaving Balta considered as an option to replace him in the Richmond backline despite debuting as a forward. Balta was ultimately passed over for the role in round 2, dropped to VFL level instead where he played solely as a defender. Following that match, Balta returned to AFL level in round 3, playing as a defender. The positional switch was not to become permanent however, with Balta regularly moved between forward, defence and the ruck across the early months of the season. In round 5 he kicked his first multiple goal haul, with two majors in the win over Sydney. After kicking a goal as a forward, Balta was sent to defence mid-match in round 7 to help quell the influence of Western Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton. To that point he had recorded the equal-fastest single in-game sprint speed of any player in the league so far that season (34.9km/h). Balta had a then-career best 13 disposals in round 8, forced into the role of lead ruck when Toby Nankervis went down injured midway through that win over Fremantle. He bested that mark with 14 disposals against Hawthorn in round 9 in which he was named among Richmond's best players by The Age. At that time, coach Damien Hardwick said the club's coaching staff envisioned Balta eventually transitioning into a fulltime defender despite his currently fluid role. For the third consecutive week he set a new personal disposals record with 18 in round 10's Dreamtime at the 'G win over Essendon in which he also set new highs for clearances (seven) and contested possessions (16). Balta remained in the senior side through the mid-season bye including in round 13, when he shared lead ruck duties with Mabior Chol in his side's loss to Adelaide. To that point he led all Rising Star eligible players for total hit outs that season despite limited game time in that role, while also placing fourth for inside-50s, contested possessions and contested marks among the same cohort. Following the injury return of many of the club's senior leaders post-bye, Balta was dropped back to VFL level where he played the fullback role as the team's deepest defender. He suffered a minor quad injury early in his second match back, missing most of that game as well as one further match before returning to VFL football in mid July. Balta improved his defensive form in the weeks that followed, before being best afield in the VFL in mid-August while playing a ruck and forward role that included 18 disposals, 21 hit outs and two goals. He impressed enough to earn a recall to AFL level for the final match of the home and away season, but recorded just five disposals and 10 hit outs before being immediately dropped from the AFL side. Balta also suffered a corked thigh during that match that saw him miss the club's first VFL final, before returning with 12 disposals in a tall defender and ruck dual role in a VFL preliminary final win over Port Melbourne. Playing as a defender the following week with 11 disposals and seven marks, Balta was named by AFL Media among Richmond's best players in the VFL side that defeated Williamstown to win the club's first reserves grade premiership since 1997. He also took part in AFL grand final festivities the following week, participating in and making the final of the league's Grand Final sprint. Balta finished 2019 having debuted and played 13 matches at AFL level, while also winning a VFL premiership after nine matches with the club's reserves side.

Balta is a versatile tall player, having played as a key defender, key forward and ruck at both AFL and VFL levels. He is notable for his psychical attributes, possessing great athletic abilities including great running power and a high leap. Since the mid-point of the 2019 season he has played primarily as a deep defender, with AFL coach Damien Hardwick flagging plans to cement him in a defensive role long-term owing to his strengths in intercept marking and long kicking.

Balta's parents were both born in Australia but each is of Croatian heritage, with ties to the Split and Vukovar regions. His father Ivan is an electrician by trade in 2019 served as the assistant secretary of the Electrical Trades Union of Australia.

He spent the early stages of his first pre-season training as a forward, but did so on a highly limited program due to general soreness. Balta made his first appearance for Richmond when he represented the club in a series of AFLX exhibition matches in Sydney in February 2018. He began playing with the club's reserves side in VFL matches in March and kicked a goal in his first match, a pre-season win over Collingwood at Punt Road Oval. Within three weeks he had switched role, playing as a defender and tacking eight marks in another VFL practice match. In the VFL's opening round in April, Balta turned in what Richmond reserves coach Craig McRae labelled "an outstanding performance" as a defender, contributing 23 disposals, six marks and eight rebound 50s in a win over Port Melbourne. By May he began playing a dual role, even switching between the forward and back line during matches. In June he was trialed for stints in the ruck, while competing predominately as a forward. Over the course of the season he was challenged by McRae to show greater on-field concentration and to improve his marking and spoiling ability, in both forward and backline roles. Balta suffered a corked hamstring in early August and missed one VFL match as a result. After finishing as minor premiers, Richmond's reserves side lined up a home qualifying final against Williamstown in which Balta featured as a midfielder and as a forward. After a loss in that match, Richmond's reserves side suffered a knock-out loss the following week which saw the team and Balta's season come to a close. Despite showing promising signs at stages during the year, Balta finished 2018 having failed to earn an AFL debut and instead played 18 games and kicked 13 goals with the club's reserves side in the VFL.

Balta attended school and played football for St. Bernard College in Essendon, where he was part of the Herald Sun Shield-winning team in 2017.

Despite a minor knee injury that kept him from participating in all tests at the national draft combine in October 2017, Balta still managed top-ten results in both the standing and running vertical jump tests. He also ran the two kilometre time trial in six minutes and 50 seconds and recorded a 8.38 on the agility test.

Following those results, ESPN draft expert Christopher Doerre labelled Balta the fifth best prospect available at the 2017 AFL draft. At the same time, Fox Footy had him ranked 17th.

Balta was drafted by Richmond with the club's third pick and the 25th selection overall in the 2017 AFL national draft.

In 2016 he played sporadically with the Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup. In July of that year he earned a call-up to Doutta Stars' senior EDFL team at age 16. At the end of the 2016 season Balta participated in an under 17s All Star Match, played on the MCG as a curtain-raiser to that year's AFL grand final.

In the summer of 2016/17, Balta participated in the AFL Academy program. As part of the program, he and 35 other highly rated draft prospects completed interstate and international training camps and spent two weeks training with an AFL club, with Balta spending his time at Essendon. He returned to TAC Cup football with Calder in 2017, playing primarily as a key forward. In June and July of that year Balta stepped away from state junior football to represent Vic Metro at the 2017 AFL Under 18 Championships where he was part of the tournament-winning side. Despite being selected on his form as a forward, Balta played exclusively as a defender at the tournament. Upon his return from the national championships Balta immediately recorded a best on ground performance for Calder that included 31 disposals, 10 inside 50s and four score assists while playing a multi-positional role that included stints in the ruck. It was at that time that AFL Media draft expert Callum Twomey upgraded him five spots to the 19th best prospect in the forthcoming draft. He finished the season by kicking multiple goals in four of his final eight matches despite being trialed in defence and the midfield during the closing stages of the season. Over the TAC Cup season he held averages of 15 disposals and 4.3 marks per match.

Balta failed to earn selection for the Victorian Metropolitan side at the national under 16s championships in 2015 but did play in a premiership winning side with the Doutta Stars under 16s team, alongside friend and fellow future AFL player Cam Rayner.

In 2014 Balta began training with the Calder Cannons junior development squad.

Noah Balta (barl-ta); (born 23 October 1999) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was drafted by Richmond with the 25th pick in the 2017 AFL national draft and made his debut for the club in round 1 of the 2019 season.