Richmond defender Balta was sentenced at Albury Local Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to repeatedly punching Thomas Washbrook, 27, outside the Mulwala Water Ski Club, in the NSW Riverina, on December 30.
The 25-year-old was fined $3000, given an 18-month community corrections order and assigned a curfew, restricting him to his home address between 10pm and 6am until July.
He was expressionless as he walked through the media pack and into a nearby SUV more than two hours after his sentencing.
Balta did not offer a public statement, and his legal team has sought an exemption from the curfew to allow him to play football.
On the night of the assault, Mr Washbrook had been waiting for a courtesy bus outside the club when he tried to defuse an altercation between another man and Balta's younger brother, Oskar.
As Balta exited the venue, he saw Mr Washbrook touch his brother in an attempt to calm him, but misinterpreted the gesture and rushed in to defend him, the court was told.
The 2020 Premiership player had been on a pub crawl from 1.30 pm on the day of the assault.
CCTV footage shown to the court showed Balta shoulder-charging the victim before punching him several times in the head.
Balta punched Mr Washbrook several more times as his brother held the victim down.
The victim suffered a three-centimetre cut to his forehead, which bled profusely during the attack and was later treated in hospital for a suspected rib fracture.
Balta turned himself in to the police two days later on New Year's Day.
With AAP.
