Richmond premiership player Noah Balta pleads guilty to assault

Noah Balta has admitted an assault and will face court again just as the new AFL season gets underway.

The Richmond premiership player was charged by NSW Police following an incident in Mulwala on December 30 that led to another man being taken to hospital for a cut to his head.

Balta will remain out on bail before being sentenced at Corowa Local Court on March 27 following his guilty plea to a single charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The Tigers already took their own action against the 25-year-old, banning him from their two pre-season matches and the first four games of the 2025 home-and-away campaign.

He will also be required to complete education programming and undertake counselling.

He has been permitted to keep training with the team.

“Noah deeply regrets being involved in the incident,” Richmond CEO Shane Dunne said in a statement announcing the ban earlier this month.

“He has assisted the NSW Police in their investigation and he is keen to have the matter concluded as soon as possible.

“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 club will continue to support him through this period and our collective hope, and expectation, is that we will see the best of Noah on and off the field from this point on.”

The charge came less than three months after Balta signed a massive seven-year contract extension to stick with Richmond until the end of the 2032 season.

The swingman, who has played 104 career games including the 2020 premiership, is a crucial cog of the Tigers’ rebuild.

- with AAP