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📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
“Sickening”: AFL must suspend Balta after CCTV release
SEN • March 28th, 2025 9:26 am
David King and Kane Cornes have called for harsher sanction to be handed down to Noah Balta after “sickening” CCTV footage of his alleged assault on another man went public.
The Richmond defender is facing up to five years in jail for his involvement in the incident which took place on December 30 last year.
Vision played in court shows Balta run towards victim Thomas Washbrook, knock him to the ground before delivering repeated blows to his head.
Balta, who is due to be sentenced on April 22, was given a four match ban by Richmond meaning he could be available for the club’s Round 5 and 6 clashes against Freo and the Suns.
King and Cornes believe the AFL integrity unit should be coming in with harsher punishments.
“It’s a sickening incident and I’m wondering who is in control of the sanctions here,” King said on SEN’s Fireball. “Is the AFL integrity taking control?
“He’s put his hand up and done the wrong thing but when you see the vision, I’m wondering why the AFL hasn’t suspended him. Maybe now is the time.
“They’re talking about the potential for jail time. The AFL has to say something.
“It brings the game into disrepute.”
Prosecutors in court on Thursday said Washbrook was lucky to be alive, a sentiment echoed by Cornes.
“We can all see what’s happened and the risk that person could have hit his head on the ground,” he said. “It’s unbelievable the vision.”
Cornes also called out the imbalance of sanctions.
“If Jimmy Webster gets seven weeks for a shocking bump and Balta gets four how is that like for like,” he continued.
“I don’t think it adds up where a player for an onfield incident can get seven and then for a far worse, horrific incident off the field he gets four.
“How soft has Richmond’s suspension been? Four weeks they gave him for that. Maybe they didn’t see the vision.”
