Richmond’s youngest current premiership player, Noah Balta, has put pen to paper on a new two-year deal tying him to the Club until the end of 2023.

Balta, 21, has played 32 games for the Tigers since being selected No. 25 overall at the 2017 AFL National Draft.

The athletic tall has made a terrific start to 2021, sitting no. 1 at Richmond for contested marks, intercept marks, score launches, and contested one-on-one wins.

Balta cemented his place in the team as part of Richmond’s back six last year, playing 17 consecutive matches from Round 5 to the Grand Final win.

The youngster had previously been used at both ends of the ground and in the ruck at both AFL and VFL level across his first three years at the Club.

Balta said he was very grateful to secure a new contract.

“I have loved every second (of being here). It was not a hard decision for me to make,” he added.

“My time here has been unbelievable; I love every single one of the boys that are here and could not picture myself being anywhere else.”

Richmond General Manager- Football Talent Blair Hartley added that the Club was excited to have Balta locked in for a further two years.

“Noah is a super talent and someone who adds a lot to our team with his versatility and athleticism,” Hartley said.

“As a young key position player, Noah has already shown an ability to influence games. We are really excited about his development and look forward to watching him continue to grow with the rest of our team.

“Noah has worked really hard on his game since he first arrived at the Club, and this is a great reward for his efforts.”