Shai Bolton provided a clear reminder of just how damaging a player he can be with his performance for Richmond against Fremantle at Optus Stadium last Saturday night.
The exciting dual premiership Tiger, playing predominantly forward, finished the match with 16 disposals, a team-high seven marks, a game-high five marks inside 50, four inside-50s, an equal AFL career-high four goals, team-high seven score involvements and 335 metres gained.
It was the second time this year Bolton has kicked four goals in a game (Gather Round v St Kilda at Adelaide’s Norwood Oval the other occasion) and the fifth all-up in his 128-game AFL career.
He took his overall goalkicking tally for the season to 24, which is 10 ahead of the next best at Tigerland – Mykelti Lefau with 14.
Bolton’s display against the Dockers broke a recent lean run on the goal front for him. He had scored only one goal in his previous three games.
“Shai knows that he’d been down for the last couple of weeks. His work-rate today was back to where we know he can get to,” Richmond coach Adem Yze said in his post-match press conference.
“He played a bit more forward today and didn’t get as much exposure in the midfield, but he’s had ample shots on goal and probably could have kicked five or six.
“He was part of the reason why we were still in the game.
“It was a terrific effort from him.”
