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Pick 29: Shai Bolton
- Thread starter puregreen
- Start date
Probably. But the way I look at it now is that if we had drafted really well we would have gone up the ladder and probably not got Cotchin and Martin.
Swings and roundabouts!
I’m not suggesting deliberately messing up a draft hand as a tactic btw
Shai is not playing well, he did earlier in the year but has tailed off.
Not sure why, we can speculate but we don’t really know.
He has always had a flaky streak but I think back to 2020 when we had a lot of injuries and he was asked to play midfield for a long period and absolutely killed it. That year was the making of him as a player.
I reckon he tries too hard now, thinks he has to win games off him own boot.
I don’t want him to go but if he does we should demand a lot for him.
Not sure why, we can speculate but we don’t really know.
He has always had a flaky streak but I think back to 2020 when we had a lot of injuries and he was asked to play midfield for a long period and absolutely killed it. That year was the making of him as a player.
I reckon he tries too hard now, thinks he has to win games off him own boot.
I don’t want him to go but if he does we should demand a lot for him.
Think Richmond will have high demands on any trade.
Bolton is already a high quality player and can be a match winner with the bonus of being in his prime with many years to come.
Can't really swap a player of Bolton's ability for just any 1st round picks - would need more certainty like closer to a Top 5 pick or so involved. Richmond would surely want enough compensation to have the ability to allow them to pick up one of the top high end draftees this year as a long term replacement.
The Tim Kelly Deal was valued at 3,200 points so probably a benchmark for Bolton.
West Coast are not talked about much with regards to Bolton but with pick 3 don't think you could totally rule out them making an offer. Is a local match winner in Shai Bolton a better bet for them then picking a Victorian 18 year old with that pick 3? Means they would also trump Fremantle.
They'll have the salary cap space, the picks with Barrass leaving too, would have appointed a new coach and fans that expect success. Probably will want to be going back up the ladder to keep the likes of Harley Reid interested in staying. They could probably get Baker & Bolton for 3, 11 (Barrass trade) and pick 23 = a trade worth 4,378 points which is almost right on the money. Bring in Graham as a FA too.
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Would say one of Yze's biggest misfires this year was planning to play Shai forward.
He should have been hitting the track all preseason for a midfield role.
We are screaming for a game breaker in the guts & he's shown so much capability in there previously.
He should have been hitting the track all preseason for a midfield role.
We are screaming for a game breaker in the guts & he's shown so much capability in there previously.
Sometimes he doesn't take the simple or first option & tries to make every play a bit of genius.
Should be an interesting trade period.
One problem is that Fremantle's main target is Warner from Sydney. They already comped Warner and his girlfriend a weekend at Star Perth a couple of months ago. They'll need Top 10 draft picks next year. He's out of contract at the end of next year - will Fremantle make a play this year or trade 1st round picks into next year? Would they pay overs for Bolton? A player/s could get pushed out from Fremantle so could end up being a 3 or 4 clubs involved in any trade for Bolton - one of those down to the last day types of trades.
Apparently Bolton's management approached Fremantle and West Coast and not the other way around. On a trade perspective for Richmond would be ideal if West Coast and Fremantle both showed interest in Bolton.
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Disaster for Sydney if they fall short this year and lose Warner
Warner would probably be worth all of Fremantle's first round picks this year. Pretty hard to see Sydney letting him go this year.
Fremantle are probably going to have to lose a player or two if they wanted both Bolton and Warner.
I wonder if the likes of Darcy, Erasmus, Johnson, etc would have to be some of the players needed to be moved on due to salary cap restraints/surplus to needs?
He was pretty awesome, I have been harsh on him but it's pretty hard for him with such little help apart from Prestia.
Fremantle will likely need another Top 10 pick next year. Would be a pretty strong side if they got Bolton this year and Warner next.
Darcy to Geelong? From the area, I think?
Looking at Richmond yesterday shows how we need players like Bolton so would have to be a pretty good deal to let him go.
For the right deal that works for RFC I would trade Bolton.
Not sure he's a leader that will bring young players along.
The team requires some serious competitors who love a contest and work hard at the coal face.
Bolton is the icing on a cake that the Tigers probably won't be able to bake for a few seasons.
Not sure he's a leader that will bring young players along.
The team requires some serious competitors who love a contest and work hard at the coal face.
Bolton is the icing on a cake that the Tigers probably won't be able to bake for a few seasons.
Hun have said he’s formally asked for a trade:
“Richmond superstar Shai Bolton has formally told the Tigers he wants to be traded, aware he will have to stay put if WA-based clubs cannot put up a vast trade bounty for his services.
Bolton might be playing his last AFL game for Richmond this weekend against Gold Coast, with the Tigers reconsidering their hard-line position on the 25-year-old.
When his name was floated as a trade possibility mid-year Bolton was still happy to stay, having made the call only 18 months before to play out his career in Richmond.
But with a second baby on the way later this year. Bolton and his partner are increasingly aware of the challenges of remaining away from family who find it difficult to get to Melbourne to support them.
He has four more years on a deal of $1.1-$1.2 million, with Fremantle and West Coast keen but the Dockers a much more likely home given their trio of first-round picks.
Richmond had been resolute that they would not trade him under any scenario.
But with Tasmania’s introduction around the corner and the Tigers’ list issues making a mini-rebuild likely, they are now open to at least assessing what a deal might look like.
They are now aware they will have to be open-minded about all trades to improve their list, with Gold Coast chasing Daniel Rioli hard as an attacking half back despite his Tigers contract to 2027.
Fremantle’s current draft hand is picks 9, 10, 17 and 26, with Richmond sure to ask for two first-rounders for Bolton given he is at the peak of his career.
Richmond has told Bolton if he stayed they would build a team around him as they seek to stockpile early draft selections under list boss Blair Hartley and new recruiter Chris Toce.
But they will never get a better chance to secure “overs” for Bolton and vice-captain Liam Baker, who is set to return to Perth.
Richmond has also offered free agent Jack Graham a deal as he assesses West Coast’s free agency offer.
Bolton is fully aware that if the Perth-based clubs cannot satisfy Richmond he will remain at Punt Road next year given he signed his most recent deal in December 2022.
Richmond will also be aware another year in Melbourne is unlikely to assuage the couple’s homesickness, so if Fremantle plays ball it might be the perfect time to get maximum compensation this year.
Baker would ideally play for West Coast but Fremantle’s early selections and premiership window mean they have a better chance of securing both players.
Shai Bolton celebrates after the 2019 Grand Final. Picture: Mark Stewart
The Dockers could offer up all three first-round draft picks for the pair, which would give Richmond picks 1, 9, 10, 17, 21 and 30 before any dealings with the Suns on Rioli.
Bolton would not seek a pay rise on his current deal but might ask for an extra year or two on the current four-year contract, with both WA-based clubs able to afford that money in their salary cap.
West Coast is interested but even if they secure a trade for defender Tom Barrass is unlikely to have the draft capital to secure Bolton, who at 25 is not the perfect age for their list build.
Bolton’s Richmond teammate Marlion Pickett is more likely to retire than ask for another one-year contract as he battles injury concerns.
He has battled calf issues and returned to Perth recently for his father’s funeral, and given Richmond is likely to be stripped of experience they had been open to a conversation on another deal.
But he will have discussions with the club in coming days about his future, having made AFL history when he debuted in a Grand Final victory for the Tigers.
A court case for commercial burglary charges is due to be set in October after repeated delays.
But with the start of that court case to be set 18 months into the future it would not prevent Pickett from playing on in 2025.
He is likely to remain in Melbourne in coming years after coming to Richmond as the No. 13 pick in the 2019 mid-season draft then finding his way into the premiership side after Graham’s shoulder injury.
“Richmond superstar Shai Bolton has formally told the Tigers he wants to be traded, aware he will have to stay put if WA-based clubs cannot put up a vast trade bounty for his services.
Bolton might be playing his last AFL game for Richmond this weekend against Gold Coast, with the Tigers reconsidering their hard-line position on the 25-year-old.
When his name was floated as a trade possibility mid-year Bolton was still happy to stay, having made the call only 18 months before to play out his career in Richmond.
But with a second baby on the way later this year. Bolton and his partner are increasingly aware of the challenges of remaining away from family who find it difficult to get to Melbourne to support them.
He has four more years on a deal of $1.1-$1.2 million, with Fremantle and West Coast keen but the Dockers a much more likely home given their trio of first-round picks.
Richmond had been resolute that they would not trade him under any scenario.
But with Tasmania’s introduction around the corner and the Tigers’ list issues making a mini-rebuild likely, they are now open to at least assessing what a deal might look like.
They are now aware they will have to be open-minded about all trades to improve their list, with Gold Coast chasing Daniel Rioli hard as an attacking half back despite his Tigers contract to 2027.
Fremantle’s current draft hand is picks 9, 10, 17 and 26, with Richmond sure to ask for two first-rounders for Bolton given he is at the peak of his career.
Richmond has told Bolton if he stayed they would build a team around him as they seek to stockpile early draft selections under list boss Blair Hartley and new recruiter Chris Toce.
But they will never get a better chance to secure “overs” for Bolton and vice-captain Liam Baker, who is set to return to Perth.
Richmond has also offered free agent Jack Graham a deal as he assesses West Coast’s free agency offer.
Bolton is fully aware that if the Perth-based clubs cannot satisfy Richmond he will remain at Punt Road next year given he signed his most recent deal in December 2022.
Richmond will also be aware another year in Melbourne is unlikely to assuage the couple’s homesickness, so if Fremantle plays ball it might be the perfect time to get maximum compensation this year.
Baker would ideally play for West Coast but Fremantle’s early selections and premiership window mean they have a better chance of securing both players.
Shai Bolton celebrates after the 2019 Grand Final. Picture: Mark Stewart
The Dockers could offer up all three first-round draft picks for the pair, which would give Richmond picks 1, 9, 10, 17, 21 and 30 before any dealings with the Suns on Rioli.
Bolton would not seek a pay rise on his current deal but might ask for an extra year or two on the current four-year contract, with both WA-based clubs able to afford that money in their salary cap.
West Coast is interested but even if they secure a trade for defender Tom Barrass is unlikely to have the draft capital to secure Bolton, who at 25 is not the perfect age for their list build.
Bolton’s Richmond teammate Marlion Pickett is more likely to retire than ask for another one-year contract as he battles injury concerns.
He has battled calf issues and returned to Perth recently for his father’s funeral, and given Richmond is likely to be stripped of experience they had been open to a conversation on another deal.
But he will have discussions with the club in coming days about his future, having made AFL history when he debuted in a Grand Final victory for the Tigers.
A court case for commercial burglary charges is due to be set in October after repeated delays.
But with the start of that court case to be set 18 months into the future it would not prevent Pickett from playing on in 2025.
He is likely to remain in Melbourne in coming years after coming to Richmond as the No. 13 pick in the 2019 mid-season draft then finding his way into the premiership side after Graham’s shoulder injury.
I've heard this "Boltons management approached Freo", but we've heard from player managers in the past and clubs too. Adelaide for example, have said that they are in touch with pretty much all SA players playing interstate, they talk about players all the time, and no doubt they'd have asked numerous times about Shai. Most likely the media have heard of his agent maybe going back to Freo and saying there is potential interest there this year but doesn't mean thats where it started. There's little chance that any player just says "I want to go to this or that state" without having their manager aware of strong interest from at least 1 club.
As to getting the currency to get both Bolton and Warner. How's this.
1st 2 picks (9 and 10) plus 24 for Shai and our Future 3rd (or a 3rd this year if they need some picks to take to the draft).
Freo then trade their 3rd 1st rounder (17) to Brisbane, who then trade it for as many points as they can.
Freo go into next years draft with their own 1st, plus Brisbanes (they'll death ride them) and have our F3rd. Trading 2 years in advance comes in next year too, so their 1st rounders in 2026 and 2027 come live, plus they could trade players out.
