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Edmund: What Richmond got wrong in Balta drama
Sam Edmund • April 16th, 2025 2:06 pm
Who is going to continue sitting in for Noah Balta this weekend?
Richmond can’t play him, can they?
In what world is it a good idea to play Noah Balta in Round 6, three days before he faces a sentencing hearing in a court of law?
Balta has pled guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm after setting upon a man in Mulwala in December – an ugly incident he could face jail time for.
CCTV footage of the assault was made public with prosecutors telling a court that the victim - Thomas Washbrook - was lucky to be alive.
Vision played in court showed Balta run towards victim, knock him to the ground before delivering repeated blows to his head.
NOT WELL HANDLED
So how on earth, with all of this swirling, are you going to leave this sort of decision in the hands of Adem Yze and the football staff?
Why wouldn’t you marry the timelines?
When Balta’s court date was pushed back, Richmond elected not to extend its six-week sanction back it as punishment enough and instead chose to live with a two-week gap between his playing eligibility and the sentencing hearing.
Balta could have played last week in the view of the club, but played with the VFL squad for what the Tigers said was down to a “football decision”.
The AFL have stated repeatedly they won’t be intervening before the hearing.
Shane Dunne, Richmond CEO, yesterday told the Herald Sun: “We are really comfortable that it was a strong decision. He has served his match penalties now and he is available for selection.”
Richmond could have defused it. They didn’t.
DISREPUTE
Last week the father of a coward punch victim spoke of his disgust that Balta could be available for selection.
Matt Cronin, whose son Patrick was killed in 2016 by a coward punch in a pub brawl, criticised the AFL and Richmond for even allowing Balta to be in contention to play.
"When you see the vision, it is just so sickening," Cronin told 3AW.
"He pleaded guilty. We now wait to see what punishment the courts dish out."
After his son's death, Matt started the Pat Cronin Foundation to end the 'coward punch'. Last year Richmond's VFL side participated in 'Pat's Match' to help raise awareness.
"I'm really disappointed as a Richmond supporter," he said. "I hope he never comes back. That's my opinion of him.
"He has brought Richmond into disrepute."
The Tigers face the Gold Coast Suns at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
