Richmond defender Noah Balta hit where it hurts in bizarre court sentencing
Balta fronted Albury Local Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm following his trial at Corowa Local Court in January.
The incident in question occurred in December in the rural New South Wales town of Mulwala.
It was alleged he assaulted a man who 'had his back turned' during an altercation that unfolded outside a pub.
The AFL star was facing potential jail time with the maximum penalty five years imprisonment for such an assault.
After serving a club-imposed four-game suspension, and playing a reserves match last week, Balta controversially returned to the senior line-up for the first time on Saturday night, and played a starring role by keeping red-hot forward Ben King to one goal.
However, on Tuesday he was fined $3000 and slapped with an 18-month Community Correction Order (CCO) with a 10pm to 6am curfew and a conviction recorded.
The punishment has a serious impact on Balta's footballing career with the 25-year-old now set to be stood down from several matches because of the curfew imposed, which means he is not allowed to leave his home from 10pm to 6am.
The curfew is for three months.
Richmond plays Melbourne in their annual Anzac Day Eve clash on Thursday night, with first bounce at 7.30pm.
The Tigers also play Essendon in Dreamtime at the 'G from 7.40pm, while they also have a scheduled twilight clash with GWS in Sydney starting at 4.15pm.
According to The Herald Sun, the court heard Balta had paid $45,000 in compensation to the victim.
According to reports, Balta's legal representatives attempted to push back against the curfew imposed, but the magistrate maintained the sentence.
It comes just days after Balta was booed by fans as he ran onto the field during his team's upset win over the Gold Coast Suns at Marvel Stadium.
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick, who previously coached the Tigers, launched a strong defence of Balta and took a bizarre swipe at Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan over public comments she had made about the footballer.
Allan had condemned the AFL's decision to let Balta return to the field with the court case yet to be completed.
Richmond coach Adem Yze said on Saturday night the club will 'look after' Balta this week.
Hardwick, meanwhile, Hardwick didn't divulge whether he or his club had an issue with Balta playing, but he did take aim at Allan.
'We've got a premier who put her nose in someone else's business,' Hardwick said.
'She should just concentrate on getting the state running well. Absolute mockery her making comments with regard to that.'
In his time at Richmond, Hardwick coached Balta for six seasons and said he 'of course' reached out to the premiership backman following the incident, and said Balta was receptive to his words.
'He's pled guilty, he understands that. He's going to cop his fair whack,' Hardwick said.
'Speaking to him, disappointed in his actions, support the individual, he'll get better as a result of it.'
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Daily Telegraph
an hour ago
- Daily Telegraph
AFL's Snoop Dogg hypocrisy laid bare as Izak Rankine handed season-ending ban for homophobic slur
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The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Disappointed Crows await Rankine ban for slur
Adelaide's players and coaches would be disappointed in Izak Rankine as they await the star's ban for a homophobic slur, a former Crows coach says. Rankine on Wednesday will become the sixth AFL-listed player suspended for making a homophobic remark to an opponent since April last year. The Crow, regarded as among the AFL's most talented players, is bracing for a ban of between three and five games. Ladder-leaders Adelaide have one home-and-away game remaining and will then host two finals. The Crows have lobbied for a three-match ban which offers Rankine a glimmer of hope of playing later in the finals when the club returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Scott Camporeale, Adelaide's caretaker head coach in 2015 after the death of Phil Walsh and an assistant coach at the club for nine years until 2019, was dismayed at Rankine's case. "You feel for the community, we're supposed to be standing up for these things," Camporeale told Adelaide radio station 5AA. "They are well-educated, these players ... they're the best-educated group in the country around race, gender, all those things. "And we continually keep having to go through these scenarios." Camporeale said in a pure football sense, Rankine's teammates and coaches would feel let down by the 25-year-old. "Matthew Nicks would be pretty disappointed as a senior coach," he said. "He is a September player, Izak Rankine ... he's the No.1 score involvement player for the Crows. "Can they still win it? I think they can, it's never just one player. "But he has got to be around the club, he has got to be supporting the group ... he needs to be there front and centre and support his teammates. "Most of them would be pretty disappointed because they know how integral he is to the team." Last month, West Coast's Jack Graham was banned for four games for making a homophobic remark to a GWS player. In April last year, Port Adelaide's Jeremy Finlayson banned for three games and, the next month, Gold Coast's Wil Powell was suspended for five matches, both for directing homophobic slurs are opponents. Two VFL players have also recently been banned for homophobic slurs. Sydney defender Riak Andrew last month was suspended for five matches for an anti-gay slur while playing for the Swans' reserves team against North Melbourne. And in July last year, St Kilda's Lance Collard was banned six games for homophobic comments while playing in the VFL for Sandringham against Williamstown. Adelaide's players and coaches would be disappointed in Izak Rankine as they await the star's ban for a homophobic slur, a former Crows coach says. Rankine on Wednesday will become the sixth AFL-listed player suspended for making a homophobic remark to an opponent since April last year. The Crow, regarded as among the AFL's most talented players, is bracing for a ban of between three and five games. Ladder-leaders Adelaide have one home-and-away game remaining and will then host two finals. The Crows have lobbied for a three-match ban which offers Rankine a glimmer of hope of playing later in the finals when the club returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Scott Camporeale, Adelaide's caretaker head coach in 2015 after the death of Phil Walsh and an assistant coach at the club for nine years until 2019, was dismayed at Rankine's case. "You feel for the community, we're supposed to be standing up for these things," Camporeale told Adelaide radio station 5AA. "They are well-educated, these players ... they're the best-educated group in the country around race, gender, all those things. "And we continually keep having to go through these scenarios." Camporeale said in a pure football sense, Rankine's teammates and coaches would feel let down by the 25-year-old. "Matthew Nicks would be pretty disappointed as a senior coach," he said. "He is a September player, Izak Rankine ... he's the No.1 score involvement player for the Crows. "Can they still win it? I think they can, it's never just one player. "But he has got to be around the club, he has got to be supporting the group ... he needs to be there front and centre and support his teammates. "Most of them would be pretty disappointed because they know how integral he is to the team." Last month, West Coast's Jack Graham was banned for four games for making a homophobic remark to a GWS player. In April last year, Port Adelaide's Jeremy Finlayson banned for three games and, the next month, Gold Coast's Wil Powell was suspended for five matches, both for directing homophobic slurs are opponents. Two VFL players have also recently been banned for homophobic slurs. Sydney defender Riak Andrew last month was suspended for five matches for an anti-gay slur while playing for the Swans' reserves team against North Melbourne. And in July last year, St Kilda's Lance Collard was banned six games for homophobic comments while playing in the VFL for Sandringham against Williamstown. Adelaide's players and coaches would be disappointed in Izak Rankine as they await the star's ban for a homophobic slur, a former Crows coach says. Rankine on Wednesday will become the sixth AFL-listed player suspended for making a homophobic remark to an opponent since April last year. The Crow, regarded as among the AFL's most talented players, is bracing for a ban of between three and five games. Ladder-leaders Adelaide have one home-and-away game remaining and will then host two finals. The Crows have lobbied for a three-match ban which offers Rankine a glimmer of hope of playing later in the finals when the club returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Scott Camporeale, Adelaide's caretaker head coach in 2015 after the death of Phil Walsh and an assistant coach at the club for nine years until 2019, was dismayed at Rankine's case. "You feel for the community, we're supposed to be standing up for these things," Camporeale told Adelaide radio station 5AA. "They are well-educated, these players ... they're the best-educated group in the country around race, gender, all those things. "And we continually keep having to go through these scenarios." Camporeale said in a pure football sense, Rankine's teammates and coaches would feel let down by the 25-year-old. "Matthew Nicks would be pretty disappointed as a senior coach," he said. "He is a September player, Izak Rankine ... he's the No.1 score involvement player for the Crows. "Can they still win it? I think they can, it's never just one player. "But he has got to be around the club, he has got to be supporting the group ... he needs to be there front and centre and support his teammates. "Most of them would be pretty disappointed because they know how integral he is to the team." Last month, West Coast's Jack Graham was banned for four games for making a homophobic remark to a GWS player. In April last year, Port Adelaide's Jeremy Finlayson banned for three games and, the next month, Gold Coast's Wil Powell was suspended for five matches, both for directing homophobic slurs are opponents. Two VFL players have also recently been banned for homophobic slurs. Sydney defender Riak Andrew last month was suspended for five matches for an anti-gay slur while playing for the Swans' reserves team against North Melbourne. And in July last year, St Kilda's Lance Collard was banned six games for homophobic comments while playing in the VFL for Sandringham against Williamstown.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
AFL news, updates: Izak Rankine handed season-ending ban in brutal blow to Adelaide Crows' premiership hopes as new explosive details into alleged behaviour come to light, homophobic slur revealed, wh
Adelaide star Izak Rankine has reportedly been handed a season-ending ban for a homophobic slur aimed at a Collingwood player on Saturday night, as explosive new details about the AFL's investigation into his conduct come to light. The contest in which the Crows emerged three-point victors was one of the games of the season, but it was overshadowed by an ugly moment where Rankine allegedly said a gay slur towards his Pies opponent. In the aftermath, the AFL launched a thorough investigation into the on-field comment and reportedly concluded on Tuesday that the conduct was deserving of a season-ending ban, in what would be a brutal blow for the Crows as they push for their first premiership since 1998. As of Wednesday morning, the AFL has not formally revealed the outcome of the investigation. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. Rankine allegedly called his opponent a f****t, with the alleged incident coming just weeks after West Coast's Jack Graham was banned for four matches for calling a GWS player a 'f***ing f****t'. Footy presenter Eddie McGuire claimed he had the early mail on the call on Channel 9's Footy Classified on Tuesday night that the Crows star's season was over. 'Izak Rankine's season is over,' he said. 'Tonight the AFL will send a letter to Adelaide and my understanding is the suspension is for five weeks. His season is finished in 2025. 'The Adelaide Football Club will have the opportunity to appeal the sanction, because they could argue it is unjust.' The reported suspension would see him miss a grand final as even a four-game ban could rub Rankine out for the rest of the season if the Crows won both qualifying and preliminary final. It is understood the Crows have written to the AFL highlighting extenuating circumstances, including another exchange with Collingwood defender Dan Houston. Houston is not the player Rankine delivered the alleged slur towards on Saturday night. Izak Rankine has reportedly copped a monster ban for using a homophobic slur. Image: Getty/Kayo And in another explosive twist, as the investigation enters its fourth day, Channel 7's Mitch Cleary revealed that Collingwood has played a major role in the inquiry into Rankine, bringing to light another alleged incident in a previous match. 'Izak Rankine allegedly delivered a similar slur towards a Collingwood opponent in a match several years ago,' Cleary wrote on X on Tuesday night. 'The incident hasn't been lost on Magpies players as the investigation into Rankine ramped up over the last 48 hours.' But understands that despite the AFL being made aware of the alleged prior indiscretion, the investigation into Rankine is only relating to Saturday's incident. Never miss the latest sports news from Australia and around the world — download the app direct to your phone. The two players had several push and shoves throughout the match. On Monday night, Fox Footy's AFL 360 showed multiple incidents of Rankine engaging in heated exchanges with Collingwood's Isaac Quaynor. 'It was a tense night; it was physically played in close quarters, and Rankine was involved in various stages in heated battles with Isaac Quaynor, which then spilt to other opponents,' Gerard Whateley said on AFL 360. Watch the incidents in the video player at the top of the page. Izak Rankine is expected to miss the remainder of the 2025 season in a crushing blow to the Crows' premiership hopes. (Photo by) 'The other players on the field were well aware of what had been said, and yesterday Collingwood contacted Adelaide to inform them of what was known. Adelaide then handed it over to the AFL Integrity Unit, who have conducted their investigation today; both players have been spoken to, Rankine at about 4pm to understand his version of events. 'These are dealt with as summary judgments; there's no Tribunal hearing or the like … in a very real way, I think these have been Andrew Dillon's calls.' Rankine is understood to have apologised to the Pies player over the phone on Sunday. And according to his teammate Taylor Walker on Tuesday, the Crows forward is incredible remorseful and deeply regrets his actions. 'I spoke to him last night on the phone, and he's very remorseful, and he understands that he's made a mistake, and he'll accept whatever comes his way,' Walker said on Triple M Breakfast on Tuesday. 'He hasn't been outside, and yeah, he had a full day of investigation with the AFL yesterday, and until such time the sanction is handed down, I can't comment on that. 'What I can comment on is that our footy club is a very positive and supportive environment, and we will do, we will support ranks, however, we don't agree with what happened.' Rankine's AFL career started with the Suns in 2018, after being drafted as the third pick. Injuries delayed his debut until 2020, where he immediately took the sport by storm, booting three goals. Two years later, he was traded to his boyhood club, the Adelaide Crows, where he has transformed into one of the most lethal forwards in the AFL. AFL's previous bans for slurs This is the sixth such offence since the beginning of last year involving slurs, with the AFL slowly trending towards harsher bans as shown below: Jeremy Finlayson (April, 2024) – three game suspension Wil Powell (May, 2024) – five game suspension Lance Collard (July, 2024) – six game suspension Jack Graham (July, 2025) – four game suspension Riak Andrew (July, 2025) – five game suspension The AFL has made a point of compounding the penalty each time an offence occurs. However, the AFL has since gone back on its word stating at the end of last season they will consider 'specific circumstances in each incident in determining appropriate responses and does not consider that it is bound by the level of sanctions that it has previously imposed for similar incidents.' But with this being the sixth instance of an anti-gay slur being used in the past 16 months, the AFL is understandably fed up and wanting to make a statement.
