AFL Trades: Fremantle completes monster deal to secure Shai Bolton with all three first-round picks used

Fremantle are excited to bring in the “flair and X-factor” of Shai Bolton after they nabbed the dual premiership Richmond forward in a blockbuster trade to open deadline day.

The Dockers handed over picks 10, 11 and 18 in exchange for Bolton, pick 14 and a future third-round selection in a trade that will be finalised when the final day opens at 11am.

Richmond had wanted picks 10 and 11 in a deal for Bolton while the Dockers had wanted to hand over only picks 10 and 18 for the forward who had four years left on a contract.

A deal has been struck though where Fremantle get pick 14 which the Tigers got from Carlton as part of a three-club deal with West Coast yesterday for losing Liam Baker.

It allows the Dockers to keep a pick in the first round of this year’s strong draft or have the option to trade it for future picks to load up for a shot at Sydney star Chad Warner when he comes out of contract next year.

Bolton, 25, joins the Dockers on a five-year deal after playing 135 games and kicking 165 goals for the Tigers having been drafted with pick 29 in 2016.

In a message to Freo fans, Bolton said he was thrilled to be heading west.

“I’m excited to jump on board with you and train with the boys,” he said.

“I’m super excited to just knuckle down and get ready for next year. Go Freo.”

Fremantle football boss David Walls said Bolton’s addition to the squad would complement the club’s growing list.

“We are really excited to secure a player of Shai Bolton’s ability, which is exactly what we need,” Walls said.

“His ball use, creativity, speed and ability to break lines makes him such a dangerous player.

“He just has flair and X-factor that will give teammates an immediate lift.

“He’s also really durable and consistent finishing top five in Richmond’s B&F for the last five years.

“He’s a gun player who was contracted for four years so Richmond aren’t just going to give him away.

“We are over the moon to have a player like Shai on our list.

“We still have picks in a really deep draft this year and we are also set up well for next year’s.

“We identified Shai as a footballer and a person who can absolutely complement the list we are building and fit the strategy we have been committed to over the last five years.”

Bolton’s father Darren played two games for the Dockers in 1999, meaning Shai becomes the first Fremantle player to line up in an AFL game to have a dad that also played for the club.

The 2022 All-Australian will undoubtedly add to their already strong forward line alongside spearheads Jye Amiss and Josh Treacy as well as ruck-forward Luke Jackson.

Fremantle will now hold picks 14, 30 and 67 in this year’s draft.