Noah Balta - Welcome to Tigerland | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Noah Balta - Welcome to Tigerland

tigersnake

Tear 'em apart
Sep 10, 2003
23,473
11,598
The match committee cost us the match, players that should have been rested in the lead up the the finals were not and players who were ill were played.

Atsbury was spent before he took the field so the load fell onto others to cover for him.
horseshit.
 

DavidSSS

Tiger Legend
Dec 11, 2017
10,521
17,870
Melbourne
Balta is beyond potentially being a great player, he has shown that he is capable of being a great.

But Rance is a great.

Can't compare, give Balta another 5 years and we'll see, exciting times to have such a player running around in our jumper, but never forget just how bloody amazing Rance was.

DS
 
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Streak

Tiger Legend
Aug 31, 2007
37,211
6,215
Western Australia
I watched the 2017 GF today.

It's easy to forget how great Rancey was for us. He was real close to BOG early when we needed him.

I still think, being at the game, that he was the Norm Smith medalist that day. Martin was huge, but so were a number of others.

But it was Rance who decided the game IMO. For those who saw Stephen Michael play at his best, Rance's 2017 granny was Stephen Michael like. No matter what Adelaide did going forward to try and avoid Rance, he was always there. When they finally managed to kick it away from Rance, they gave their forwards no chance and were never going to win the game.

It was for me a game where the stats tell a lie. Dusty won the game by imposing himself on it, but Rance imposed our whole backline on that season's best forward line and destroyed them.
 
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Bullarto Tiger

Tiger Legend
Mar 17, 2012
10,015
4,363
I've said it before and I will say it again, over the journey of a career, I believe Balta will prove to be an even better player than Rance.
 
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BT Tiger

Moderator
Staff member
Jun 5, 2005
3,485
4,403
Warragul
The great thing about Balta is he’s good enough to generate discussion comparing him with Alex Rance.

The fact it’s even a discussion at all says a lot.

Exactly. We know he has the skills and the physique to be a champion. I recall one TT podcast where Balmey said he definitely wants to be that kind of player so he's got a good attitude. Sky's the limit.
 
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TigerMasochist

Walks softly carries a big stick.
Jul 13, 2003
25,560
11,438
I've said it before and I will say it again, over the journey of a career, I believe Balta will prove to be an even better player than Rance.
More than happy for you to be 100% correct Bully. Kids got a journey to make before he gets there though.
 
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Coburgtiger

Tiger Champion
May 7, 2012
4,955
6,939
I've said it before and I will say it again, over the journey of a career, I believe Balta will prove to be an even better player than Rance.
It's possible. But unlikely.

Not a sleight on Balta. But it's only the top fraction of a percentage of players that have been better than Rance.
 
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Tiger Ghost

Tiger Superstar
Nov 19, 2010
1,829
283
Your mums house
Balta has a lot more tricks than Rance had, Alex was a once in a generation defender. Noah reminds me of Adam Goodes early in his career. Plug and play anywhere, the kid can play tall in defense and up forward, swing him into the ruck and not only is he a ruckman but a fifth mid like Goodes was.
There is a stack of potential there to be harnessed and he landed at the right footy club and at the right time, who knows with a bit of luck maybe we might see something special.
 
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daniel30

Tiger Superstar
Jun 14, 2010
2,391
2,916
The thing is the kid has a flag already at 21 and we still debate were to play him .
 
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Dont Argue

Tiger Legend
Jun 26, 2018
5,777
12,388
Love the kid. Awesome talent..........
But please wake me up when he’s half the player Rance was.
 
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Feeling Tigerish

Tiger Champion
Apr 11, 2009
2,685
966
I've said it before and I will say it again, over the journey of a career, I believe Balta will prove to be an even better player than Rance.
Rance was a competitive freak, who could read the play like no other. He was 3 backmen in one. Unbelievable player, and 2nd only to Dusty in my life time. If Balta gets anywhere near him by the end of his career then we have been blessed
 
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craig

Tiger Legend
Aug 19, 2004
45,620
29,164
Melbourne
Like his Grand Recollection vid.

Genuine lad, you could feel his awareness that he'd joined and become part of something awesome.

Good on him.
 
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rinso17

Tiger Superstar
Feb 2, 2005
1,810
140
Rance was a competitive freak, who could read the play like no other. He was 3 backmen in one. Unbelievable player, and 2nd only to Dusty in my life time. If Balta gets anywhere near him by the end of his career then we have been blessed
In fact I did think during 2015, 16, 17, 18 Rance was our best player
 
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Sintiger

Tiger Legend
Aug 11, 2010
18,199
17,593
Camberwell
Rance at his best had one thing that Balta hasn’t got yet and that’s an amazing ability to read the play and know when to go and when to not. It’s not that Balta is not a good reader of the play but Alex was for a period the best in the game.
I am not sure that we will be comparing them as key backs anyway because I suspect Balta may not end up there.
 
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Long Lost Hernaman

Tiger Matchwinner
Oct 19, 2007
538
466
Great to have the debate but no need to burden the lad with extreme expectations.

If he turns out near Rance, wonderful. If not so be it, he can still be a great player in his own right.

I'm sure the club is putting a lot of work into him to stay grounded, improve and reinforce that he is his own player.
 
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