Noah Balta - Welcome to Tigerland

[St Kevin]

We need to get Alex Rance to do some tutoring with him. First few years Rance was a bit like Balta - superb athletically, great mark, but a bull at the gate with little composure or thought for the game. Rancie learnt that and became a superstar.

Get Rance back to work with him. Even if he goes back to the backline. Get Rance to shape him.

I'd even be telling him to follow Tarrant. Robbie rarely makes a bad decision.

Our problem more broadly though is that we have a plethora of young defenders and no young forwards. Both Gibcus and Balta are probably better down back, but one will likely need to play forward starting next season unless we draft one this year. Gibcus, Balta, Grimes, Tarrant, Broad, Miller is too many for 2023.

 

[22nd Man]

I didnt hear the 15 seconds call, and the commentators seemed confused. And the gap between the move it on and play on was non existent. All up it was a minor reaming by the ump, you could argue it was major in terms of potential impact on the game, but Noah left himself open to it.

My recall is that he marked at the 40. By the time he was called to.play on he was near the centre circle. Why so far back?
But I would not be a great witness in a trial.

 

[Merveille]

Optimistic we''ll be out of the 8 by tomorrow night and face Brisbane and then Port away. We are next to no chance now.

We had a better persentage than Saints, and Dogs too I think - if that stayed the same, then the 2 points are pointless

My recall is that he marked at the 40. By the time he was called to.play on he was near the centre circle. Why so far back?
But I would not be a great witness in a trial.

to waste more time walking in?? Probably something they have talked about or practised- And they totally ballsed it. Maybe Ump was switched on to that fact they were looking to wind clock, and score

 

[22nd Man]

‘Culpable moron’... What gives you the right to abuse our players?

Decades of emotional investment in the RFC. Though I concede they were strong words. And those emotions were running high hours after getting home.

 

[Tenacious]

Noah's as blind as a bat, he wouldn't be able to read the screen even it was a full sized 30sec countdown.

Easy fix - one of his team mates nearby gives him the countdown

It simply should never be an issue. Even last night there were blokes standing way way back from the mark and watching the clock. As long as they take their first step in time (say 25 sec mark) they’re OK - even though their long slow walk means the 30 seconds is well gone before they continue with a run up and finally a kick.

For any player to be caught short by the 30 sec rule - with a countdown clock - is dumb footy.

 

[Merveille]

The good forwards are always glancing at the clock as they run the 30 seconds, always.
If he can’t read that giant countdown clock, that is an issue for his whole game.
Having been extremely short sighted, I could not have played without contact lenses. I would assume Balta is wearing them if his eyes are that bad.
I then had Laser surgery which was great and still is. Do that Noah, do something but have to be able to read those giant numbers, don’t know how he marks anything if he can’t

 

[spook]

Noah is learning the caper as a key forward. He's a work in progress. Glaring mistakes notwithstanding, he had a good game. Our backline is chockers, our forwardline needs someone. Noah is the obvious and right choice. He's fourth in our goalkicking despite missing five games, playing half of the rest down back, and relief rucking.

We could send him back but then Miller would be squeezed out (unless Grimes misses). Do we really want to play Nank and Soldo together again this year while both are hobbled, or does Noah play second ruck, in which case he plays forward.

Persist.

 

[bob]

Nank should actually be given a rest to try and heal that knee.
He's taken a battering. And playing too sore.

He's a warrior and would have put his hand up for sure to try and help us plug the gaps left by Lynch and Dusty not being able to get on the ground.
He should be dropped, injured.

Sorry Spook, cant agree re Noah B - not a forward unless it's as you say, just that few mins stop gap.

 

[22nd Man]

The good forwards are always glancing at the clock as they run the 30 seconds, always.
If he can’t read that giant countdown clock, that is an issue for his whole game.
Having been extremely short sighted, I could not have played without contact lenses. I would assume Balta is wearing them if his eyes are that bad.
I then had Laser surgery which was great and still is. Do that Noah, do something but have to be able to read those giant numbers, don’t know how he marks anything if he can’t

I was astounded when I read he can't see. Might explain some of the judgement blips. I tried to play football without my glasses as a kid ... I blame that for my failure to realise my true potential and become a 300 game player for the Tigers.
Once I got some sport specs the ball looked a lot bigger but was too late for me to learn to read the flight.

 

[Birdman19]

Try Balta on the wing and Kmac at CHF

 

[Tigers of Old]

He. Is. Not. A. Forward.

 

[Ridley]

Disappointed by his attitude.

“But who cares”. Said that in his interview with Richo.

Not exactly what he should be saying after blowing the 3rd game in a row. Poor from Noah.

At least Cumbo showed he cares.

 

[spook]

I'm sure he cares. I think he just misspoke. It was off the back of saying there's nothing he can do about it after the event.

 

[achillesjones]

Try Balta on the wing and Kmac at CHF

Wait until the practice games.

 

[Stig]

I was also watching the countdown clock. There was still a second to go when play on was called.

I assume umpires have a buzzer as just times off TV , exactly 30 secs

 

[Dont Argue]

I was astounded when I read he can't see. Might explain some of the judgement blips. I tried to play football without my glasses as a kid ... I blame that for my failure to realise my true potential and become a 300 game player for the Tigers.
Once I got some sport specs the ball looked a lot bigger but was too late for me to learn to read the flight.

Oh Magoo, you’ve done it again

 

[Ridley]

I'm sure he cares. I think he just misspoke. It was off the back of saying there's nothing he can do about it after the event.

It was a stupid thing to say. He’s a 5th year player not a rookie. He *smile* up and needs to own it. Saying who cares just makes him seem petulant, as if he wants to absolve himself.

In the context of our season it was a massive error from him. We are on a knife’s edge after blowing 3 winnable games due to brain explosions from players and coaches 3 weeks in a row. Perception matters.

Hope he has a massive game next week and gets us over the line. He needs it and we need it.

 

[mrposhman]

the 15m miss was a bloody shocker. but persevere forward IMO

These are the ones that annoy me the most. Why is it so hard to KICK THROUGH THE FOOTY. Jeez. You'd think that with the amount of players that do these little stabby kicks close to goal that they would somehow improve accuracy but they seem to decrease it. Just kick the ball into the 3rd tier and head back to the middle.

 

[Jason King]

This guy is a defender or CHB. The closest I want him to the goals is 45m out on the run.

Play him to his strengths.

 

[Tigers of Old]

He's a raw talent but he's not all that bright Noah. Plenty of us care.