Richmond tall Noah Balta was reportedly struck by a fan while attending a local match on Sunday.

The 23-year-old was hit unprovoked when fans ran onto the field during a match between Croatia and Afghanistan at the 2023 Nations Footy Cup, reports the Herald Sun.

A fight broke out and Balta was caught up in the incident.

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The Tigers player has suffered minor bruising to his face and will be assessed when he returns to the club on Monday.

Richmond believes Balta was an “innocent victim” in the situation, according to the report.

He was there with ex-teammate and Tigers assistant coach Ivan Maric.

Balta has played 62 games for Richmond across the last four seasons and is a 2020 premiership player.