Kane Cornes has said Richmond would regret giving their star defender Noah Balta a seven-year deal last year.
Balta played on Western Bulldogs star forward Sam Darcy yesterday, but Darcy and the Bulldogs won the battle and the war as the forward kicked five goals and the Dogs won by 79 points.
Earlier this year, Balta was placed on an 18-month community corrections order, a 10 pm - 6 am curfew and an alcohol ban after pleading guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The curfew means the Tigers won’t be able to select him for interstate and night games.
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Balta signed a seven-year deal with the Tigers last year, which ties him to the club until the end of the 2032 season.
Cornes claimed Balta was playing a ‘different sport’ yesterday and said it was a ‘bizarre performance’.
“Never seen anything like it. His lack of knowledge on how to play on someone, when to press, when not to press, what he did with football in hand,” Cornes added.
“It's (curfew) really affected his form, and I couldn't believe what I was watching yesterday.
“I would have to assume that seven-year deal is one of the biggest regrets that Richmond would be facing right now.”
Richmond has only won three games this year as they sit second last on the ladder in 17th position.
Richmond coach Adam Yze explained that Balta wasn’t at his best yesterday, but will continue to improve.
“There were a few decision errors behind the ball that gave him way too many easy opportunities, and then obviously if you give a guy like Sam, who’s a talented kid and in great form, those opportunities, then it’s going to be really hard to defend," Yze said.
“To play against these players, he (Balta) has got to get better at it, and he’ll know that he didn’t play to his standard today.”
Richmond will play at home this week as they take on fourth-placed Adelaide at the MCG.