Shai Bolton [merged]

[one-eyed]

BOLTON'S PERFORMANCE LABELLED ONE OF THE “GREATEST” FROM AN INDIVIDUAL THIS YEAR

By Hugh Fitzpatrick
SEN
30 April 2022

Richmond excitement machine Shai Bolton was at his best in his side's Friday night win over the West Coast Eagles.

Bolton produced a masterclass in the Tigers’ 109-point victory at Optus Stadium, collecting 30 disposals and kicking three goals alongside his 15 score involvements in a best on ground performance.

AFL Nation commentator Gerard Healy believes Bolton’s performance in his home state was one of the “greatest performances” he’s seen from a player this year.

“I’ve been told the official rating for Shai Bolton was a 33, which as I explained is one of the great games – there may be someone rated higher than that this year but I would suspect it wouldn’t be much higher,” Healy said on AFL Nation.

“That's one of the greatest games we've seen by an individual this year.”

“It was reflective of a side that had their stuff together.”

Adding to the praises of the dual premiership Tiger, Dermott Brereton was taken back by the 23-year-old’s showing.

“Shai Bolton was the one for me, 15 score involvements was extraordinary,” Brereton said on SEN's Crunch Time.

“I think the most devastating thing from the 6-6-6 rule is a player that can take the ball in the centre circle and exit out the front of the circle and no one catches him.

“Every backline – that is their worst nightmare, and he did it half a dozen times, he was unbelievably good.”

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/04/30/boltons-performance-labelled-one-of-the-greatest-from-an-individual-this/

[Tigeritis™©®]

I don’t think he had an opponent all night.

[one-eyed]

THE BUCK STOPS HERE: NATHAN BUCKLEY’S FIVE TAKEAWAYS FROM ROUND 7

SEN
2 May 2022

4. Shai Bolton

“There were two other really good players in that match - Jayden Short and Tom Lynch - and Richmond had plenty going for them, but Shai Bolton’s game and the season he is putting together has been first class.

“He’s an aerial threat as well when he jumps and flies in the front half.

“He uses his speed to advantage and I thought his selflessness was really evident in the game.”

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/05/01/the-buck-stops-here-buckleys-five-takeaways-from-round-7/

[one-eyed]

Cornes said Bolton is the cleanest player in the competition.

Watch: https://twitter.com/FootyonNine/status/1523631802702831616

[Rampsation]

We need to sign him for 5. If short got 5 then Bolts definately gets 5 or 6 year contract.

[Andyy]

We need to sign him for 5. If short got 5 then Bolts definately gets 5 or 6 year contract.

Club clearly wants him long term but he's keeping the negotiation power in his hands here

[Tiger Khosh]

Players regardless of their intention would be foolish to sign long term contracts prior to their FA year. Even if they are intending on staying, it gives them more leverage in terms of $$$ and years to sign deals taking them to FA and then renegotiating after that.

[mightytiges]

I know Dimma said Shai's first quarter wasn't too great but I thought Bolts was one of the main reasons we got back into the game and then kicked ahead (before we went too sleep as team for that patch in the last). That's why I gave him votes. When most were fumbling in the slippery conditions, Bolts was just so clean by hand especially off his toes. His creativity and vision is amazing. When he's on his freakish class is just far above the rest on the field.

[Tiger Khosh]

Good shout for BoG

[Fluffy Tiger]

It's exciting having him, Rioli, dusty, Lynch and Jack in the forward line. Anything can happen everytime it goes up forward.

[one-eyed]

The rocket that sparked Tigers’ Bolton blitz

Shai Bolton started slowly against Hawthorn then set the game alight. See what sparked the turnaround and why Damien Hardwick says he can get even better.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl-round-9-hawthorn-v-richmond-latest-news-scores-and-supercoach-points/news-story/edde1c3137dab31bc315cee95f179e8a

[one-eyed]

Dimma's post-game comments on Bolton:

“Funnily enough, it was all related to his defensive intent,” Hardwick said of Bolton’s turnaround after quarter-time.

“He probably wasn’t as good as he could have been that first quarter. Xavier (assistant coach Xavier Clarke) gave him a little bit of a rocket and he got to work.

“Shai, offensively, is stunning, brilliant. Defensively, when he plays to that level, his game becomes to the elite level.

“He’ll realise that, and he’ll grow, and he’ll mature . . . When he does those simple things really well, defensively, he becomes an incredible player.

“Don’t get me wrong, he still played a good game today, but he can still get so much better in a lot of areas of his game, which is harsh. But we see him, and what he can become, and he can be quite special.”

...

“At ground level, he can do things that not many players can. And then you look at him aerially as well, and he’s exactly the same.

“He can go in at stoppage and if you sit off him he’ll hurt you. But then, one-on-one, he’s quite damaging up forward also.

“So, we’re fortunate to have players like Shai that can make things happen.”

https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1126813/sizzling-shai-still-has-huge-upside

[one-eyed]

How rocket man gave Tigers lift off during Dusty absence

In a rare interview, Richmond livewire Shai Bolton opens up on taking screamers, Dustin Martin's influence and the importance of his culture.

Paywall: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/news/indigenous-sport-month-richmond-star-shai-boltons-new-tattoo-and-how-he-gave-the-tigers-a-spark-during-dustys-absence/news-story/b0d8282b80ae7d9d0e91d1a4631c41f7

[one-eyed]

WHY SHAI BOLTON IS “ON THE CUSP” OF BECOMING ONE OF THE AFL’S TOP 10 PLAYERS

By Lachlan Geleit
SEN
22 May 2022

Richmond star Shai Bolton is having the best year of his young career so far, with the 23-year-old averaging career-highs in goals, kicks, clearances and inside 50s through 10 games in 2022.

While he was already an influential player, Bolton’s uptick and increasing influence on Richmond results now have him firmly in All-Australian contention.

After another strong performance against Essendon in Dreamtime at the ‘G, where he kicked two goals to go with his 16 disposals, Kane Cornes pondered whether the smooth-mover was now a top 10 player in the competition.

While Cornes admitted it’s a big call to anoint Bolton as one of the game’s best, he thinks he’s getting close to that level and explained why to leading AFL journalist Damian Barrett and former Tiger Nathan Brown on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.

Barrett: “The evolution of Shai Bolton just gets better every single week.

“He again had impact … he does it through varying ways each and every week.

“He’s as clean as there is when it comes to the ball use, creativity and freeness of mind to do things that others can’t contemplate.”

Cornes: “I wonder if you were putting together a top 10 player (list) in the game right now – it seems a big call with some of the names we’ve got – but he’s certainly on the cusp of being a top 10 player in the game I reckon.”

Barrett: “I think he’s in the conversation.”

Brown: “What about as a permanent midfielder? He’s been playing a little bit in the midfield but Dustin Martin’s back now, 16 disposals yesterday, I think his benchmark should be 20 disposals and two to three goals.

“I don’t want him to sit in the forward line the whole game because he’s so good and so effective at ground level with clearances and I think they need pace out of there.”

Cornes: “I don’t mind the way they use him, it’s almost wherever they sort of need him.

“They didn’t need to get big numbers yesterday, it was maximum damage per touch.”

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/05/22/why-shai-bolton-is-on-the-cusp-of-becoming-one-of-the-afls-top-10-players/

[one-eyed]

Shai Bolton has left his manager Ralph Carr and joined Perth based manager Anthony Van Der Wielen before coming out of contract next year. Preliminary discussions already underway to extend his stay at Punt Rd.

https://twitter.com/7NewsMelbourne/status/1529025279309795329