Richmond’s Noah Balta suspended for four games after alleged assault
After returning to the Tigers with teammates on Thursday, Noah Balta has been whacked with suspension after being charged with assault after an incident in December.
AFL
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Noah Balta will not play for Richmond until at least round 5 this year after copping a four-match ban as he prepares to front assault charges.
Balta will also be suspended for pre-season matches and sent for counselling and education as part of club sanctions, with the defender to front Corowa Local Court on January 30 on an assault charge.
The charge stemmed from an incident in Mulwala on December 30.
Balta joined teammates for the first day of training after the Christmas break on Thursday, arriving early and declining to answer questions from waiting media.
The defender trained as normal, with players hitting the track more than five hours after he arrived at the club, after likely meetings about his sanctions.
He will be free to train with the club throughout his playing suspension.
In a statement after Richmond announced Balta’s suspension, the AFL said it had “been kept informed” of how the club was dealing with the incident and would “continue to monitor ongoing matters in court”.
It is commonplace for the AFL Integrity Unit to investigate when a player gets involved in a police matter, after any court proceedings.
The AFL will look into the incident once court matters conclude.
Richmond CEO Shane Dunne said Balta “deeply regrets being involved in the incident”.
“He has assisted the NSW Police in their investigation and he is keen to have the matter concluded as soon as possible,” Dunne said.
“While the outcome of the investigation and the charge will be a matter for the police and the courts, both Noah and the club accept that players can’t put themselves in these situations.
“After thorough consideration – which included discussions with the player leadership group – we arrived at a decision that reflects the seriousness of the incident and at the same time will help Noah address this behaviour.”
The 104-game defender signed a bumper contract late last year that tied him to Richmond until the end of 2032.
Originally published as Richmond’s Noah Balta suspended for four games after alleged assault
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