Noah Balta has won The Frownlow Medal in 2025 after being found guilty of assault. Balta returns the medal to the AFL and is the first player from the Richmond Tigers to win the most prestigious award in Australian sport.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern-day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes: the men’s and women’s National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015, while Balta becomes the latest recipient.
Balta was found guilty a brutal assault of a man in a parking lot in Mulwala, NSW. The case was settled with the victim out of court but Balta could miss a number of AFL games in 2026 due to a curfew forcing him to be at his Melbourne home between 10pm and 6am until July 22, 2026. He was also sentenced to an 18-month community corrections order.
The Tiger pleaded guilty to repeatedly punching a man in a car park during a pub crawl in 2024. Court documents and camera footage indicate Balta was intoxicated and ran towards the victim, pushing him with such force he was “airborne” before hitting the ground. The victim was treated for cuts and bruises to his head and a suspected fractured rib.
Balta claims he was protecting his brother. So strong is his integrity that the premiership winner received a reference from Father Colin McLean, who described Balta as a “gentle giant”. The magistrate, however, said Balta’s actions were “completely inappropriate, misguided and [a] disproportionate response”.
Balta has been abstaining from alcohol and completed an anger management course at the Victorian Behaviour Change Centre. He also paid $45,000 compensation to the victim.
Balta defeated an eclectic mix of off-field offenders from NRL, AFL and A-League for this year’s Frownlow. Super Rugby failed to produce a nominee in 2025 – but there’s always next season.
Tyrone Munro nearly kept the medal in the hands of the NRL, but the South Sydney rising star is still being investigated for alleged domestic violence charges. Fellow NRL player Brandon Smith also came close, with yet another Frownlow nomination, but is awaiting trial for allegations of drug supply and insider information relating to sports gambling. Smith is known for his cheeky demeanour and pranks on teammates, but the recent charges are no joke.
Victor Radley confused judges yet again. He was punished by the Roosters for contacting former teammate Smith, even though the Roosters bosses admitted ‘The Inflictor’ had actually done nothing wrong. This is reminiscent of 2021 when Radley was nominated for tackling a man outside a party one night.
An NRL player punished for tackling someone.
Canberra Raiders pair Morgan Smithies and Hudson Young won the clickbait award after creating headlines for a ‘fight’ that turned out to be a scuffle in an elevator with inflatable toys.
Another NRL duo created controversy before combining to win a grand final. Gehamet Shibasaki turned up hungover to training a few weeks before the final and was dropped, and Reece Walsh also made headlines for yet another Frownlow nomination, before he led the Broncos to a premiership with one of the most impressive individual performances in a grand final.
Bailey Smith confused footy fans and judges. He has thousands of social media followers, but the AFL star verbally abused an experienced female press photographer at an open training session, because she took his photo.
Reuben ‘Retro’ Ginbey sports a mullet and went old style to earn his nomination. The West Coast Eagle was nominated for urinating in public while attending a music event in Western Australia. He was clearly following the coach’s advice to stay hydrated during the off-season and had to relieve himself in a manner common to professional footballers.
Dino Arslanagic channelled the sane spirit as Ginbey. He made his bid with the time-honoured method of trying to avoid punishment by virtue of his profession.
Arslanagic joined Macarthur Bulls at the beginning of the 2024/2025 season, but was soon sacked. He was intoxicated at a bar in Sydney and refused to leave the premises, and when police tried to remove him, he yelled,
“Do you want to f;;;ing go?”
He continued to resist police, until one of them sprayed him with capsicum spray. Arslanagic then said:
“You spray my eye, do you know who I am? I play football. I play A-League football”
He then pointed his finger at police, and pretended to pull the trigger of a gun, saying:
“I’ll shoot you. I will kill you. Come to my country, one bullet in your head, you’re dead”
The Belgian spent so little time in Australia that most Aussies will never know who he is.
Balta has now entered the history books as a winner of The Frownlow Medal. At the time of his nomination, it was also suggested that the reference from his parish priest could see him elected as the next Pope.
Image: James Ross/AAP Photos
The Frownlow Medal 