Shai Bolton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shai Bolton |
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Bolton playing for Richmond in June 2017
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| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth | 8 December 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Katanning, Western Australia | ||
| Original team | South Fremantle (WAFL) | ||
| Draft | No. 29, 2016 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 9, 2017, Richmond v. Greater Western Sydney, at Spotless Stadium |
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| Position(s) | Midfielder / forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Fremantle | ||
| Number | 15 | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Shai Bolton (/ˈʃeɪ/ shay; born 8 December 1998) is a professional Australian rules football player. He currently plays for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Before joining Fremantle, he played for the Richmond Football Club. Richmond picked him in the second round of the 2016 draft. He played his first AFL game in 2017. Shai was the youngest player to debut for Richmond in nine years. He helped Richmond win two AFL premierships in 2019 and 2020.
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Early Life and Junior Football
Shai Bolton was born in Katanning, Western Australia. He grew up in Forrestdale, a suburb of Perth, and later lived in Mandurah. Football runs in his family. His father, Darren Bolton, used to play for Fremantle Football Club.
In 2013, Shai joined the Flying Boomerangs Indigenous Academy. This program helps young Indigenous athletes develop their skills. The next year, he started playing junior football for South Fremantle Football Club in the West Australian Football League (WAFL). In 2015, he had a back injury that kept him from playing much. But in 2016, his last year with the club, he played very well. He averaged 17 disposals (getting the ball) and two goals per game. In one game against East Perth Football Club, he even kicked seven goals!
He also played for Western Australia in the 2016 AFL Under 18 Championships, where he kicked five goals.
Shai went to Wesley College in Perth. He left after Year 11 to focus on his football career. At Wesley, he became good friends with Sam Powell-Pepper and Quinton Narkle, who also became AFL players.
Before the 2016 national draft, experts praised Shai for his "blazing speed" and "natural instinct" for the game. He impressed recruiters at a special pre-draft game. He also did very well in the running vertical jump test at the national draft combine.
AFL Career with Richmond
Starting Out (2017)
Richmond picked Shai Bolton as their first choice in the 2016 AFL draft, as the 29th player overall.
Before the season began, Shai got a one-match ban for an incident in a VFL (Victorian Football League) practice game. He made his AFL debut in Round 9, 2017, against Greater Western Sydney. He was only 18 years old, making him Richmond's youngest debut player since their captain Trent Cotchin in 2008. In that game, he almost kicked a winning goal in the last two minutes, but a video review showed the ball was touched.
Shai played a few more games, showing good pressure in the forward half. In Round 13, he had a great first half against Sydney, getting 12 disposals and two goals. He was rested from the senior team in Round 15. He returned to the senior team in Round 19 but was soon sent back to the VFL. His VFL coach said his performances were "above the level." Shai played in the VFL Grand Final that year. By the end of 2017, he had played six AFL games and kicked three goals. He also played 14 VFL games and kicked 23 goals.
Developing Skills (2018)
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In 2018, Shai started the season in Richmond's senior team. He played well in pre-season games, even kicking three goals in one match. However, he was not very effective in the first two regular season games and was sent back to the VFL.
In the VFL, Shai quickly showed his talent. He kicked three goals in his first VFL game. He later suffered a leg injury that kept him out for a week. When he returned, he was tried in the midfield and played well. He also took a spectacular mark (a catch) that won him the VFL's Mark of the Year award. He also won the VFL's Goal of the Year for a fantastic goal where he shrugged off many tackles. This great play earned him another chance in the AFL, but it only lasted one game.
Shai was then tried in a half-back role in the VFL, where he also performed well. However, he got a minor knee injury in late July and had surgery. He did not play again in 2018. He finished the year with three AFL games and 13 VFL games.
Breakout Season and Premiership (2019)
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After the 2018 season, Shai signed a new one-year contract with Richmond. He trained hard in the off-season. Many experts thought he would have a great year, possibly playing more in the midfield. He started the year playing in VFL practice matches, showing his skills in the midfield.
His strong VFL performances earned him a call-up to the AFL in Round 4. After a short time back in the VFL, he had a "best on ground" performance with 25 disposals and 11 tackles, bringing him back to the AFL in Round 7. The next week, he had his breakout game, kicking four goals and being one of Richmond's best players against Fremantle.
Shai was briefly dropped to the VFL again in June. But he immediately played two amazing games as an inside midfielder, averaging 30 disposals and nine clearances. This brought him back to the AFL. In Round 16, he got a chance to play as an inside midfielder in the AFL for the first time. He had 26 disposals and two goals, making him one of the best players in a big win.
In Round 17, he set a new career-best with 29 disposals and was nominated for the league's Rising Star award. He continued to play well, mostly as a forward with some midfield time.
In the first final game, Shai kicked one goal, had three goal assists, and took a spectacular mark. Richmond won that game. The next week, he signed a new two-year contract with Richmond. He played in the preliminary final and then helped his team win the Grand Final. He had 11 disposals, kicked one goal, and put a lot of pressure on the opposing team.
This was a "breakout" season for Shai. He won an AFL premiership, received five Brownlow Medal votes, and finished 18th in the club's best and fairest award.
Another Premiership (2020)
Shai received Richmond life membership before the 2020 season for his part in the 2019 premiership. He had minor shoulder surgery but was ready for the start of the season. He kicked three goals in Round 1.
The season was then paused due to the coronavirus pandemic. When it restarted, Shai continued to play well. Richmond moved to the Gold Coast due to the virus outbreak in Melbourne. Shai was sent to the VFL for one game to practice playing as an inside midfielder. He did so well that he was recalled to the AFL as a midfielder. He was one of his team's best players in several games, getting many coaches' votes.
In Round 13, Shai was the best player on the ground in Richmond's "Dreamtime in Darwin" game. He had designed the Indigenous artwork on the team's guernsey (jersey) with his family. He won the Yiooken Award for his performance, which included 29 disposals and a goal.
Shai missed the last game of the regular season with a leg injury. He returned for the finals. He kicked three goals in the semi-final win, with media saying he was "on the verge of stardom." He then helped Richmond win the preliminary final. One week later, Shai became a two-time premiership player! He had four goal assists, 16 disposals, and seven tackles in the Grand Final. The Age newspaper said Richmond's win was "on the back of (his) brilliant second half."
Besides winning another premiership, Shai finished fourth in Richmond's best and fairest award.
Moving to Fremantle
After the 2024 AFL season, Shai Bolton asked to be traded back home to Western Australia. He was traded to Fremantle on the last day of the trade period, signing a five-year deal with the Dockers.
Player Style
Shai Bolton plays as an inside midfielder and also as a small forward. He is known for his amazing speed, athletic skills, and creativity when he is fighting for the ball.
Statistics
Updated to the end of the 2024 season.
| G | Goals | B | Behinds | K | Kicks | H | Handballs | D | Disposals | M | Marks | T | Tackles |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | Votes | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | |||||
| 2017 | Richmond | 29 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 26 | 25 | 51 | 12 | 15 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 8.5 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 0 |
| 2018 | Richmond | 29 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 6 | 4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 8.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 0 |
| 2019# | Richmond | 29 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 143 | 123 | 266 | 58 | 65 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 14.0 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 5 |
| 2020# | Richmond | 29 | 14 | 12 | 6 | 135 | 89 | 224 | 43 | 38 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 9.6 | 6.4 | 16.0 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 9 |
| 2021 | Richmond | 29 | 20 | 23 | 20 | 208 | 185 | 393 | 82 | 55 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 10.4 | 9.2 | 19.6 | 4.1 | 2.7 | 5 |
| 2022 | Richmond | 29 | 23 | 43 | 41 | 256 | 147 | 403 | 73 | 48 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 11.1 | 6.3 | 17.5 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 12 |
| 2023 | Richmond | 29 | 23 | 31 | 29 | 315 | 185 | 500 | 79 | 70 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 13.7 | 8.0 | 21.7 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 14 |
| 2024 | Richmond | 29 | 22 | 34 | 26 | 218 | 151 | 369 | 83 | 57 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 9.9 | 6.9 | 16.8 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 5 |
| Career | 135 | 165 | 144 | 1358 | 950 | 2308 | 451 | 368 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 10.1 | 7.0 | 17.1 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 50 | ||
Notes
Awards and Achievements
Team Awards
Individual Awards
- All-Australian team: 2022
- AFL Rising Star Nominee: 2019
- Mark of the Year: 2021
- Yiooken Award: 2020
- Richmond Leading Goalkicker: 2024
VFL Awards
- Goal of the Year: 2018
- Mark of the Year: 2018
Personal Life
Shai Bolton is an Indigenous Australian from the Noongar people. His father, Darren Bolton, also played football for Fremantle. Shai is also related to the famous Pickett and Krakouer football families.
