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Richmond coach Adem Yze said Noah Balta was a chance to return straight into the senior team in Adelaide next weekend, having served his suspension.

Balta was banned for four premiership season matches by the Tigers after an incident on December 30 last year. He has since pleaded guilty to assaulting a man outside a NSW Riverina club and will be sentenced on April 22.

The AFL has said it will not stop Balta from returning before he is sentenced in court.

Yze, speaking after the Tigers’ 28-point loss to Brisbane on Saturday, said Balta had been training well and could yet face Fremantle in Gather Round.

“He hasn’t played a game yet, so his training loads will probably warrant that he will be. We have just got to wait and see,” Yze said.

“We’ll have selection later in the week and see what the balance of our team looks like. Jacob Blight went forward today and helped out with our second ruck and did pretty well. We’ll just work that out. We’ll have a measured decision, but it’s good to have him available.”

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said this week the league was “comfortable” in allowing Balta to play again before he’s sentenced in court.

“By the time Noah is eligible to play again he would have served a four-week AFL suspension as well as missing a couple of weeks of practice matches,” Dillon said.

“Ultimately, it will be a decision from Richmond – whether they select him straight into the AFL or into the VFL side.”