Noah Balta provided a strong reminder of his ability as a key defender in Richmond’s final match of the 2024 home-and-away season against Gold Coast at the MCG yesterday.

The athletic, 194cm, 24-year-old, who has spent time both back and forward this season, was given the job on star Suns spearhead Ben King, and he did it superbly.

King kicked a goal early in the contest, but failed to hit the scoreboard after that and was kept to just five disposals by Balta for the entire game.

Given King went into the match with 54 goals for the season, and was fourth in the Coleman Medal, Balta’s defensive effort on him was especially meritorious.

Balta, himself, had 11 disposals, five marks, six intercepts, a game-high seven one-percenters and 193 metres gained.

With the Tigers’ gun key forward Tom Lynch having been sidelined through injury for most of the season, Balta was used in attack in several games to fill that significant void.

He made a decent fist of it, too, kicking 12 goals (equal fifth on the Club’s goalkicking list), but as he showed against the Suns, his best football moving forward within the Richmond line-up most likely will be as a key defender – and a very good one at that.