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Richmond have controversially selected Noah Balta for his first AFL appearance this season, as Adem Yze’s side looks to bounce back from their defeat against Fremantle last week with a victory against Gold Coast.
Balta, 25, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm of a 27-year-old man outside the Mulwala Water Ski Club in December 2023.
The Tigers defender has served a four-match suspension from Richmond and the AFL and did not return last week, despite putting his hand up for selection. He had instead Balta turned out for one of the club’s reserve sides last week to improve his match fitness.
Balta’s return to the AFL will come will come three days before he is set to appear in court on April 22 for sentencing. The maximum punishment for the offence carries a penalty of five years in jail.
While the decision by Richmond is not a surprise, with senior coach Yze strongly hinting at his return this week, Balta’s return has sparked outcry from many within the footy world and wider community.
Footy greats Jimmy Bartel and Jack Riewoldt have both criticised the move, while Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan scrutinised the decision.
Richmond have announced that Noah Balta will return to their starting line up for Saturday’s match against Gold Coast
Matt Cronin (pictured), the father of Patrick, a 19-year-old who tragically died following a cowardly one-punch attack nine years ago, is now set to meet with the AFL and Richmond
Adem Yze (pictured) revealed last week that Balta was available for selection and said that the club had ‘punished him enough’ after the footy star had served out a four-match suspension
Meanwhile, the father of a man who devastatingly died following a cowardly one-punch assault has hit out at the football club and the AFL for giving Balta the green light to play.
Matt Cronin’s son, Patrick, tragically died at the age of 19 after he was punched in the head following a brawl in a pub nine years ago.
Andrew William Lee was jailed for manslaughter over the incident.
Mr Cronin, who is an avid supporter of the Richmond Football Club, is a founder of the Patrick Cronin Foundation, an organisation that raises awareness to end violence and bring about change to ‘end the coward punch’.
He is, according to Channel 9’s Tom Morris, set to meet with AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon and Richmond in the ‘coming weeks’ to discuss how the league can help to prevent incidents, similar to Balta’s, from taking place again.
‘I pay for Pat’s membership [at Richmond] every year,’ Mr Cronin told Channel 9.
‘I’ll always be a Tiger, I’m always going to love the Tigers.
‘I’m not happy with what they’ve done, this time. We have to accept what’s happened has happened, but I’m really rappt that they did contact us and say that they want to work with us for a better outcome in the future.’
Cronin’s son, Patrick (left), tragically died after the 19-year-old was punched in the head during a brawl in a pub nine years ago. Andrew William Lee was subsequently jailed for manslaughter over the incident
Mr Cronin had previously told 3AW that he was disappointed with the AFL’s stance on the matter. CEO Dillon had stated he was ‘comfortable’ with the decision for Balta to return to play.
Meanwhile, AFLPA boss Paul Marsh said that Balta ‘has a right to play’.
But Mr Cronin said he was left saddened by the club’s decision.
‘I’m really disappointed as a Richmond supporter,’ Cronin told 3AW.
‘I hope he never comes back. That’s my opinion of him.
‘He has brought Richmond into disrepute.’
Tigers legend Jack Riewoldt believes the footy club could have handled Balta’s selection saga better.
His comments came after Richmond stated their decision to omit Balta from last weekend’s squad was a ‘footballing decision’.
Balta pleaded guilty to an assault occasioning actual bodily harm of a 27-year-old man last december and will appear for sentencing on April 22 – three days after this weekend’s game
Richmond’s decision to play Balta has copped scrutiny from some around the AFL and the winder community, with Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan criticising the decision
‘The Tigers let this bubble along for so long,’ Riewoldt said on Nova.
‘I would have loved to have seen them come out early on and say: “Look, he wasn’t going to play this week because it’s just stayed in the media for all the wrong reasons”.
‘And then you get a whole bunch of other people grabbing hold of it, sort of not politicising it, but actually using it to make comments.
‘So look, it’s an unfortunate situation for all parties involved.
‘And I think it maybe could have been handled a little bit better, but we live and learn.’
Victoria Premier Allan launched a scathing attack on the AFL over the matter.
‘How does the AFL and the Richmond Football Club answer that question about what’s going on here? What sort of message does this send to kids about what’s right and what’s wrong?
‘I think that’s really a question that the AFL and Richmond need to answer.
‘Let’s remember the victim here who would no doubt be deeply traumatised by this experience.’
