The only member of Richmond’s 2020 premiership team that was not a life member of the Club, now is.
Noah Balta received his life membership as the newest Tiger premiership player at the Club’s Annual General Meeting this evening.
Balta, who turned 21 on the day of Richmond’s glorious Grand Final triumph over Geelong, had an excellent season.
He played 17 games, predominantly in defence, providing the team with great value through his top-class intercept and marking ability, mobility, long kicking, boldness and aggression.
The other recipient of life membership at Richmond this year was Alan McDonald, who played senior football with the Tigers and later coached the Club.
McDonald’s playing career at Tigerland was cut short because of Army service during World War 2.
A talented wingman or on-baller, McDonald played 49 games from 1939-41 and 1943 and was a member of the Club’s senior playing list in 1945.
He was widely acknowledged as Richmond’s best player in its 1940 Grand Final loss to Melbourne.
He took over from Max Oppy as the Tigers’ coach in 1957 and coached the Club until the end of the 1960 season.
Richmond also handed out the Alice Wills Award to three off-field Tiger servants in recognition of their significant, long-time, volunteering work at the Club – David Ward (cheer squad member for four decades and a valued contributor to the South East Tigers Supporters’ Group), Alicia Almeida (cheer squad member for about 15 years) and Dennis Cook (Tigerland museum volunteer for the past 17 years).
