Pick 29: Shai Bolton | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Pick 29: Shai Bolton

tigerman

It's Tiger Time
Mar 17, 2003
24,149
19,617
Legit query.... he already has his medallions, don’t think on face value he is a front runner in line for a leadership gig. His next contract for him will be I suspect purely $$$ as it’s “his time” and I don’t begrudge him that.... so can we really fit him and all others in the cap. Understanding potential Jack, Rance and maybe a couple of other’s $$$ back in the kitty
There might be a way around giving Shai a good payday.
I'm not sure whether clubs are still allowed to it or not. But clubs were allowed to be over the salary cap for a year, if they were under it the year before, I think it was 5%.
So if a club was say $500,00 under the TPP, they can be over by $500,00 the next season.
If we go into 2021 a player short, that might be the reason why.
 

caesar

Tiger Legend
Feb 9, 2015
7,972
21,437
I'd be interested to see what his aerobic markers look like and what sort of improvement he is making each training year, but I suspect he doesn't have the capacity to do much more than midfield cameos.

Even with the shorter games last year he had significant peaks and troughs in his output and just from looking at him it seems like he is often blowing up.

I think he will end up as a creative forward, who splits his time deep and high and switches into the centre bounce occasionally.
Shai's work rate has gone through the roof, when Prestia, Cotch were out Shai was getting 20 plus possessions on the bit. When the troops came back Shai's talents were needed elsewhere.
Could easily be a full time mid IMO but his forward craft is too good and too dangerous to ignore so he may well continue to be used as you suggest, (at least until MRJ starts carving them up in the forward line ;) ).
 
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Dont Argue

Tiger Legend
Jun 26, 2018
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Shai's work rate has gone through the roof, when Prestia, Cotch were out Shai was getting 20 plus possessions on the bit. When the troops came back Shai's talents were needed elsewhere.
Could easily be a full time mid IMO but his forward craft is too good and too dangerous to ignore so he may well continue to be used as you suggest, (at least until MRJ starts carving them up in the forward line ;) ).
Shai was certainly very comfortable in the middle but was doing all his best work in only a half of each game. Imagine what he’s capable of if he can build his tank?
Does the word “anything” come to mind?
 
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French Tiger

Tiger Legend
Oct 6, 2004
5,105
2,011
Shai's work rate has gone through the roof, when Prestia, Cotch were out Shai was getting 20 plus possessions on the bit. When the troops came back Shai's talents were needed elsewhere.
Could easily be a full time mid IMO but his forward craft is too good and too dangerous to ignore so he may well continue to be used as you suggest, (at least until MRJ starts carving them up in the forward line ;) ).
20 plus possessions in shortened qtr's as well. Plus they weren't give & go possessions, lot's of clearances & bits of brilliance amongst them.
 
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Sintiger

Tiger Legend
Aug 11, 2010
18,199
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Camberwell
Shai was certainly very comfortable in the middle but was doing all his best work in only a half of each game. Imagine what he’s capable of if he can build his tank?
Does the word “anything” come to mind?
I remember when the main criticism of Dusty was the drop off of his output after halftime which was obviously due to fitness. It will come with Shai.
 
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rensman

interpreter to the stars...
May 6, 2004
1,478
686
North Eastern Victoria
Needs stints in the centre square. He’s not a winger, in our system, they are the NFL equivalents of free safeties, they guard dangerous space, defensive predators who deliver hits. Shai can’t run like that and doesn’t have the size.

If you ask me, he swaps with Dusty. Plays forward of centre always. And still has a stack of improvement.
Brilliant post
 
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year of the tiger

Tiger Legend
Mar 26, 2008
9,445
6,506
Tasmania
I remember when the main criticism of Dusty was the drop off of his output after halftime which was obviously due to fitness. It will come with Shai.
Good point - tend to forget these things as Shai hasn’t yet played 50 games, effectively had 2 years in the system learning before playing 19 games in each of our ‘back to back years’


.......don’t you love saying in our ‘back to back years’ :cupgold:cupgold
 
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glenn downing

Tiger Cub
Jun 2, 2014
139
179
Of the 23 players out of contract at the end of next season, imo Bolton would be in the top 3-4 players who the club needs to resign to a new contract. Edwards, Houli and Riewoldt may possibly retire at the end of next season but it is vital that the club starts working, if not already doing so, on player retention.
 
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BrisTiger24

Out: Chimp In: Camel
Oct 16, 2003
15,183
7,312
Brisbane
In 2017, before we won our first premiership of the dynasty, I recall having a chat to a RFC board member who was a colleague of mine at the time. One of the things that sticks in my mind was in relation to Shai. Board member said Balmey had told rhe Board Shai was the best young kid he has seen in all his time in footy.

I remember thinking that I couldn't see it at the time. I thought he hadn't shown much from what I saw at that point. I still thought the same all the way through to 2020 (despite being a 2019 premiership player). I was so impressed by what I saw of him in the midfield this year.

Fair play to Balmey for seeing it early. I know there are predictions that Shai could be our next Brownlow medallist and its hard to dispute that based on what he has done as a 22 yo in the midfield in 2020.
 
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Willo

Tiger Legend
Oct 13, 2007
18,254
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Aldinga Beach
Having a quiet day, so I thought I’d watch the 2020 GF replay.
Geez Shai was blooody brilliant.
The amount of ground he covered to get an assist in, a deft tap, a block, a tackle , a shepherd. His involvement was through the roof.
Then the moments of brilliance.
Cerikey, what a game he played
 
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Harry

Tiger Legend
Mar 2, 2003
24,437
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Having a quiet day, so I thought I’d watch the 2020 GF replay.
Geez Shai was blooody brilliant.
The amount of ground he covered to get an assist in, a deft tap, a block, a tackle , a shepherd. His involvement was through the roof.
Then the moments of brilliance.
Cerikey, what a game he played
Yep reckon he was 2nd best on ground
 
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momentai

Tiger Legend
Jul 24, 2004
6,215
2,872
Melb
In 2017, before we won our first premiership of the dynasty, I recall having a chat to a RFC board member who was a colleague of mine at the time. One of the things that sticks in my mind was in relation to Shai. Board member said Balmey had told rhe Board Shai was the best young kid he has seen in all his time in footy.

I remember thinking that I couldn't see it at the time. I thought he hadn't shown much from what I saw at that point. I still thought the same all the way through to 2020 (despite being a 2019 premiership player). I was so impressed by what I saw of him in the midfield this year.

Fair play to Balmey for seeing it early. I know there are predictions that Shai could be our next Brownlow medallist and its hard to dispute that based on what he has done as a 22 yo in the midfield in 2020.
In 2017 he and Noah lit up the VFL.
Not every time and not together, but there was enough there to make you shake your head.
 
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scottyturnerscurse

Tiger Legend
Apr 29, 2006
5,167
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This is a bit inside baseball but perhaps a good question to ask a supporters’ forum in the off-season.

Was Shai trying to pass to Castagna or Lambert (who marked it) after stealing that grab on the boundary line in Q3 of the GF?

This is a continued debate among my friends (who all love Shai btw).
 

Quickdraw

End of the drought
Jun 8, 2013
2,826
4,225
This is a bit inside baseball but perhaps a good question to ask a supporters’ forum in the off-season.

Was Shai trying to pass to Castagna or Lambert (who marked it) after stealing that grab on the boundary line in Q3 of the GF?

This is a continued debate among my friends (who all love Shai btw).
I've wondered about that. The camera angle from behind the goals looks like George is in more space and possibly the more obvious target.
I'd like to think that Shai, being the supremely confident fellow he is, threaded the needle.
At the risk of the wrath of Zips, let's not speculate on the result had the kick gone to George. :cool:
 
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123cups

Tiger Champion
May 1, 2016
3,099
4,076
This is a bit inside baseball but perhaps a good question to ask a supporters’ forum in the off-season.

Was Shai trying to pass to Castagna or Lambert (who marked it) after stealing that grab on the boundary line in Q3 of the GF?

This is a continued debate among my friends (who all love Shai btw).

I just love that he passed it off.

That kick symbolises Shai‘s transformation into a great team player. In a Grand Final 20m out from goal on the boundary, he takes a great mark, and in less than a second... he’s already looking for options to pass it off to.

That’s like Dusty. Great attitude by a hard working kid who always had obvious talent.

To answer your question, I think he was going for Lambert.

His eyes look left (towards Lambert) immediately after his mark, and after he kicks it, his eyes move left again, which is the direction Lambert is running from, and is opposite to the direction George is running from.
 
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hutstar

Tiger Superstar
Dec 17, 2002
2,433
981
Florida
This is a bit inside baseball but perhaps a good question to ask a supporters’ forum in the off-season.

Was Shai trying to pass to Castagna or Lambert (who marked it) after stealing that grab on the boundary line in Q3 of the GF?

This is a continued debate among my friends (who all love Shai btw).
Watched it again a few days ago - def passing to George, Lambert picked it up because it was a little errant.
 
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Streak

Tiger Legend
Aug 31, 2007
37,211
6,215
Western Australia
Watched it again a few days ago - def passing to George, Lambert picked it up because it was a little errant.

Shai threw the Spurs mentality out the window with that one :)

Much as I love George and Lambo, they are in the bottom three from mine when I consider who I would want to take a clutch set shot for goal for us.