AFL club hands down punishment to Noah Balta as he faces serious charges after allegedly bashing a man outside a pub

Richmond have banned premiership player Noah Balta for the opening four games of the 2025 AFL season after he was charged with assault.

Balta, 25, will also miss two pre-season matches, complete education programming and undertake counselling following the alleged incident at Mulwala, near the Victoria/NSW border, on December 30.

‘Noah deeply regrets being involved in the incident. He has assisted the NSW Police in their investigation and he is keen to have the matter concluded as soon as possible,’ Richmond CEO Shane Dunne said in a club statement.

‘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.’

In his six-season career, Balta (pictured) has booted 37 goals for the Richmond Tigers

Following the sanctions handed down by Richmond, the AFL said they were ‘supportive’ of Balta’s ban.

‘The AFL has been kept informed by Richmond of developments and is supportive of the club’s response and sanction,’ a statement read.

‘The AFL will continue to monitor ongoing matters in court.’

On January 1, NSW Police confirmed a man, 25, was charged with one count of assault following an alleged incident that resulted in another man being hospitalised.

‘A 27-year-old man was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics for a laceration to his head and taken to Yarrawonga Hospital in a stable condition,’ a police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

Balta presented himself to Mulwala Police on December 31, where he was arrested and charged with one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He was bailed to appear in Corowa Local Court on January 30.

Balta was in Mulwala preparing to celebrate the New Year with family and friends, 7News reported. 

Balta has played 104 AFL games since his debut in 2019 – and he won a premiership with the Tigers the following season.

The key defender also signed a monster seven-year contract extension with Richmond just a few months ago.

It locks him in as a Tiger until the end of the 2032 season. 

Balta has booted 37 goals in six seasons for the Tigers.