Right player, right time? Stakes high for Freo in Bolton chaseBy Nathan Schmook
afl.com.au
12 Oct 2024... Fremantle's offer of picks No.10 and 18 has so far been rebuffed as the Tigers' hold firm on their request for No.10 and 11, with negotiations now moving into week two of the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period.
The stakes are high for the Dockers because Bolton is a player they can hardly afford to walk away from knowing the impact he would likely have at his second club, which has built strategically for this point.
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While the Tigers have been painted as stubborn in their positioning, the fact remains Bolton is a player with four years to run on a contract, albeit one who has reasons to request a move home to Western Australia.
Conceding so early in negotiations would make little sense, especially when they know how valuable Bolton will be for Fremantle.
The Dockers' list build so far has left them in a position where they have the ability to pay a high price for Bolton, even if it means finding middle ground between the clubs' respective positions.
They would also be following the path of recent premiers who have taken risks at the trade table to fill the remaining gaps on their lists, giving them the crucial edge over rivals.
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Giving up those picks was a risk worth taking for Brisbane, just like it was for Collingwood, Geelong, Melbourne and Richmond before them, who all rounded out their lists with successful, if costly, trades.
The key for those teams has been getting the right players at the right time, and it is why Bolton makes so much sense for Fremantle, which needed a better scoreboard return from its small forwards in 2024.
Bolton's All-Australian season came in 2022 when he booted 43 goals and averaged 17.5 disposals in a Richmond team that won 13 games and lost an elimination final to Brisbane.
That goal tally would have ranked him No.2 at Fremantle in 2024, just behind star key forward Josh Treacy (45) and ahead of sidekick Jye Amiss (36). It's reasonable to expect he can deliver at that level in a team that is contending.
The 25-year-old's fast feet at stoppages will then complement star trio Caleb Serong, Hayden Young and Andrew Brayshaw, who can create room in the centre square through their own ability to rotate forward.
While multiple player exits in each of the past two off-seasons set the Dockers back, they also contributed to the opportunity the club has this year with picks No.10, 11 and 18.
Negotiating hard until you can get the best available deal for your club is the job of a list manager, and it is right to say the Tigers' demands of pick No.10 and 11 in a first-round that clubs are desperate to climb into is over the top.
But compromising and settling on some middle ground can still be a win for Fremantle if that's what it comes to late in the Trade Period. It could be the last in a series of moves that helps the club win its first premiership.
https://www.afl.com.au/news/1242327/right-player-right-time-stakes-high-for-fremantle-dockers-in-shai-bolton-chase
