- Noah Balta was charged with assualt following a brawl on December 30
- The Richmond star is understood to have reported himself to the police
- One person was hospitalised following the alleged altercation in Mulwala
Richmond Tigers have reportedly chosen not to ban Noah Balta from pre-season training after he was charged over an alleged altercation.
The incident took place on Monday, December 30, with Police being called to a sports club in Mulwala, on the Victoria and New South Wales border after midnight.
NSW Police confirmed that a man, aged 25, had been charged with one count of assault over an alleged incident.
One man was said to have been left with lacerations to his head and was taken to hospital.
Balta is understood to have presented himself to police the following day and was charged with one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
While he is set to appear in Corowa Local Court at the end of the month, 7News reporter, Mitch Cleary, says that the Tigers are not going to ban him from the club.
Richmond are yet to make a decision over whether Noah Balta should be banned from pre-season training
Balta is understood to have been charged with assault following an alleged incident in Mulwala
‘Richmond had been waiting up whether to allow the premiership defender to return to Punt Road in the short term,’ Cleary said on 7NEWS Melbourne.
‘But he has been given the green light and will be with teammates when they’re back at training in the coming days.
‘While he is permitted back the Tigers will work through any internal sanctions over the next 48 hours.’
According to The Daily Telegraph, the AFL’s integrity unit is opening an investigation into the matter.
The Tigers are also set to be back in training following the Christmas break on Thursday.
The AFL’s Integrity Unit generally looks into off-field incidents involving players, having notably conducted an investigation into GWS Giants’ recent ‘wacky Wednesday’ party skits and fancy dress costumes.
At the time the incident occurred, Balta had been in Mulwala with his family, getting ready to celebrate the New Year.
The defender joined the Tigers as a 25th pick in the 2017 National Draft.
Balta has played 104 matches for the Tigers since joining the club during the 2017 AFL Draft
He has since gone on to play 104 matches for the Victorian club and win the 2020 Grand Final with the Tigers.
The news comes after the Tigers had rewarded him with a new contract that will see him stay at the club until the end of the 2032 season.
In a statement released last week, the club said it ‘can confirm that AFL player Noah Balta has been charged with assault after an incident on the 30th December 2024.
‘As the matter is now before the courts the club can make no further comment.
‘The club has made the AFL aware of the incident.’
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