Player Watch Shai Bolton - The Next Best Player In The Game

[Meteoric Rise]

Cyril is one the most overrated player of the last 20 years thanks to the relentless hype machine he had behind him. Also winning a GF and being so good in his first year gave him that momentum he carried with him for the next 10 years no matter how average he played

Bolton is already way more dynamic and impactful. A team of 10 Boltons would beat a team of 18 Cyrils

Bolton is a tremendous player but the disrepect for Cyril Rioli on this thread is ludicrous. Cyril only played about 4 full seasons around his peak, largely due to injuries. But in those peak seasons he has delivered all round performance other small forwards have not matched.

In his 4 best seasons once matured and not affected by injury in 2011-12-15-16 Rioli averaged around 3.0 goals + goal assists which is huge for scoreboard impact as can be seen by comparing to Bolton’s 2.6 average in 2022 - easily his best year so far, and his 6th season of AFL footy. Rioli was recording better numbers than that in his 4th and 5th seasons. During those peak seasons Rioli also averaged around or just under 5 tackles per game, and 15 disposals. Bolton in this his best seasons averages 2 tackles and 18 disposals. If anyone thinks a tackle is worth less than a disposal, trying watching what happens when a player gets a tackle broken. Where Bolton is doing better than Cyril ever did, just in this one season really is in score involvements(loads of Cyril’s career this stat was not kept) contested possession and of course clearances.

Bolton is an incredible player, and is probably the best centre-forward going around at present, and of course this is the biggest glamour position in footy. But Cyril Rioli as a specialist small forward yields to no player I have ever seen for his all round game. It is just that a lot of Cyril’s value was in the less glamorous areas like tackling that some people don’t recognise his value. But not that many small forwards ever get above 3.0 goals + goal assists average in a season and Cyril did that on 3 separate occasions. So he was a much higher scoreboard impact player than many imagine.

Full seasons at or above 3.0 Goals + Goal assists average

C Rioli 3

L Breust 3

E Betts 7(was a deep forward specialist)

S Bolton 0(not a specialist forward)

T Papley 0(is sitting on exactly 3.0 so far in 2022)

C Cameron 1(plus sitting on 3.1 so far in 2022)

M Walters 3

R Gray 2

T Stengle 0(sitting on 2.5 ave 2022)

J Ginnivan 0(2.2 in 2022)

T Rat 3(part of career goal assists not recorded)

T Greene 3(plus averaging 3.1 so far 2022)



Anyway, Bolton cannot possibly be better than Cyril, as Bolton missed selection in the 2020 22 under 22 team, and Cryin Miers made that team.

 

[Farang83150]

Hope he signs a 2/3 years extension then decides to go home.

 

[Grrr]

Hope he signs a 2/3 years extension then decides to go home.

to Freo

 

[blaisee]

Bolton is a tremendous player but the disrepect for Cyril Rioli on this thread is ludicrous. Cyril only played about 4 full seasons around his peak, largely due to injuries. But in those peak seasons he has delivered all round performance other small forwards have not matched.

In his 4 best seasons once matured and not affected by injury in 2011-12-15-16 Rioli averaged around 3.0 goals + goal assists which is huge for scoreboard impact as can be seen by comparing to Bolton’s 2.6 average in 2022 - easily his best year so far, and his 6th season of AFL footy. Rioli was recording better numbers than that in his 4th and 5th seasons. During those peak seasons Rioli also averaged around or just under 5 tackles per game, and 15 disposals. Bolton in this his best seasons averages 2 tackles and 18 disposals. If anyone thinks a tackle is worth less than a disposal, trying watching what happens when a player gets a tackle broken. Where Bolton is doing better than Cyril ever did, just in this one season really is in score involvements(loads of Cyril’s career this stat was not kept) contested possession and of course clearances.

Bolton is an incredible player, and is probably the best centre-forward going around at present, and of course this is the biggest glamour position in footy. But Cyril Rioli as a specialist small forward yields to no player I have ever seen for his all round game. It is just that a lot of Cyril’s value was in the less glamorous areas like tackling that some people don’t recognise his value. But not that many small forwards ever get above 3.0 goals + goal assists average in a season and Cyril did that on 3 separate occasions. So he was a much higher scoreboard impact player than many imagine.

Full seasons at or above 3.0 Goals + Goal assists average

C Rioli 3

L Breust 3

E Betts 7(was a deep forward specialist)

S Bolton 0(not a specialist forward)

T Papley 0(is sitting on exactly 3.0 so far in 2022)

C Cameron 1(plus sitting on 3.1 so far in 2022)

M Walters 3

R Gray 2

T Stengle 0(sitting on 2.5 ave 2022)

J Ginnivan 0(2.2 in 2022)

T Rat 3(part of career goal assists not recorded)

T Greene 3(plus averaging 3.1 so far 2022)



Anyway, Bolton cannot possibly be better than Cyril, as Bolton missed selection in the 2020 22 under 22 team, and Cryin Miers made that team.

Do you realise that over 40% of Bolton's possessions result in scores?

Its unheard of for a midfielder.

Even if Cyril Rioli was the greatest pressure forward in history, he is no where near as valuable or as good as the best mid/fwd.

I have said this before, Shai could do Cyrils job, Cyril could only do Shai's job in his dreams, infact they tried to make Cyril a mid/fwd, he couldn't it failed.

 

[blaisee]

Hope he signs a 2/3 years extension then decides to go home.

Richmond is his home

 

[Meteoric Rise]

f

Do you realise that over 40% of Bolton's possessions result in scores?

Its unheard of for a midfielder.

Even if Cyril Rioli was the greatest pressure forward in history, he is no where near as valuable or as good as the best mid/fwd.

I have said this before, Shai could do Cyrils job, Cyril could only do Shai's job in his dreams, infact they tried to make Cyril a mid/fwd, he couldn't it failed.

I am not diminishing Bolton, he is an absolute gun player. But Cyril Rioli was as well. They each have subtly different strengths and weaknesses, but you cannot correctly say Bolton can do all the things Cyril could do, Cyril was a much stronger player physically, and therefore as is the case in reverse, he could do some things Bolton cannot do.

 

[blaisee]

f


I am not diminishing Bolton, he is an absolute gun player. But Cyril Rioli was as well. They each have subtly different strengths and weaknesses, but you cannot correctly say Bolton can do all the things Cyril could do, Cyril was a much stronger player physically, and therefore as is the case in reverse, he could do some things Bolton cannot do.

I couldn't disagree more

 

[Meteoric Rise]

I couldn't disagree more

Well in that case, with you, I could not agree less.

 

[Checkered]

Was genuinely one of the worst players in the league at the start of his career. Honestly thought he was trash, but that looks to be about as wrong as a standard blaisee take.

Fair play to him

 

[Rioli2Rioli]

Hope he signs a 2/3 years extension then decides to go home.

We will give him a 7 year deal

 

[blaisee]

Was genuinely one of the worst players in the league at the start of his career. Honestly thought he was trash, but that looks to be about as wrong as a standard blaisee take.

Fair play to him

blaisee take on Shai Bolton since 2017 has been prophetic.

He picked this

 

[OniAu]

Has the It factor.
Love watching him play. Envious of the tigers fans they have him.

He has a confidence you see on the NBA court. Knows he is better than his opponents and does the freakish things others can’t


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Ricketz]

Let's see if he can beat Stengle for that one small forward AA spot left after Cameron, first. Just for this year.

Won't be looking good if he can't drag them into finals compared to a bloke in a team on top of the ladder.

 

[BF Tiger]

Oh come on, he has acted like a Wayne Kerr on field for a couple of years now, especially after he kicks ago.

The Brisbane incident was not a one off

Thoughts on Tom Papley, Charlie Cameron, etc... or is it just your well-worn anti-Richmond goggles clouding your view?

 

[blaisee]

Let's see if he can beat Stengle for that one small forward AA spot left after Cameron, first. Just for this year.

Won't be looking good if he can't drag them into finals compared to a bloke in a team on top of the ladder.

Look the reality is you are spot on

Stengle is probably a lock, he does play for Geelong and one of the rules of aa is that there has to be a big quota of Geelong players

Cameron Hawkins Stewart are in and there has to be three more at least

Throw a dart at selwood Atkins blicavs dangerfield stengle close Guthrie Higgins smith , 3 of those will make it as well .

Performance is irrelevant

 

[tiger_tough]

Let's see if he can beat Stengle for that one small forward AA spot left after Cameron, first. Just for this year.

Won't be looking good if he can't drag them into finals compared to a bloke in a team on top of the ladder.

Do you actually think stengle has been better than Bolton?

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Thoughts on Tom Papley, Charlie Cameron, etc... or is it just your well-worn anti-Richmond goggles clouding your view?

Those players don't seem to act smart asses to opposition players as much as Bolton, granted touch and go with Papley.

To be fair, I do concede I have been to harsh on Bolton, definitely gets in the AA team and should win the Jack Dyer medal comfortably

 

[Ricketz]

Look the reality is you are spot on

Stengle is probably a lock, he does play for Geelong and one of the rules of aa is that there has to be a big quota of Geelong players

Cameron Hawkins Stewart are in and there has to be three more at least

Throw a dart at selwood Atkins blicavs dangerfield stengle close Guthrie Higgins smith , 3 of those will make it as well .

Performance is irrelevant

Well, it's not a charity - teams that make finals have good players. Simple innit?

 

[Ricketz]

Do you actually think stengle has been better than Bolton?

As a dedicated small forward in the team on top of the ladder that also has the 2nd and 3rd Coleman medal leader, yes.

Bolton has played significant midfield minutes and his stats are on a level with Bolton's, across the board.

You guys sniff too much of your own hype sometimes.

 

[Yoda_]

As a dedicated small forward in the team on top of the ladder that also has the 2nd and 3rd Coleman medal leader, yes.

Bolton has played significant midfield minutes and his stats are on a level with Bolton's, across the board.

You guys sniff too much of your own hype sometimes.

Its BigFooty.

"Your opinion is wrong because my teams player is better" is common place amongst the main board.

 

[tiger_tough]

As a dedicated small forward in the team on top of the ladder that also has the 2nd and 3rd Coleman medal leader, yes.

Bolton has played significant midfield minutes and his stats are on a level with Bolton's, across the board.

You guys sniff to much of your own hype sometimes.

Yes Bolton plays a lot of midfield time.....yet only averages .1 goals less per game and more in nearly every other metric available.

Not sure why you keep mentioning the fact he plays in the team top of the ladder. Isn't it harder to perform in a team lower down the ladder?

It's not even close....

 

[Yoda_]

Can the Richmond faithful give me actual facts, statistics even of why Bolton is being rated as highly as he is?


Right now, probably not in the top 20 players in the comp, next tier? sure, but lets not pretend he is better than he actually is.

 

[Ricketz]

Yes Bolton plays a lot of midfield time.....yet only averages .1 goals less per game and more in nearly every other metric available.

Not sure why you keep mentioning the fact he plays in the team top of the ladder. Isn't it harder to perform in a team lower down the ladder?

It's not even close....

Wow, and he only averages four more disposals and two more clearances than a bloke who never goes near the middle.

It's almost like he isn't a good midfielder and clearly nowhere near the next GOAT

Teams on top of the ladder have an even distribution of contributors. It's harder to get 25 possessions when everyone around you is as well.

 

[Yoda_]

Fwiw, the small forward position(s) in the AA team should be filled by Charlie Cameron

23

Charlie Cameron

Age

30

Ht

180cm

Wt

76kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.1

3star

K

8.4

3star

HB

3.7

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.5

5star

D

9.6

2star

K

7.9

3star

HB

1.7

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.7

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

9.6

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

1.4

2star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.2

4star

(Brisbane) and more than likely one of Isaac Heeney

5

Isaac Heeney

Age

28

Ht

185cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

7.7

5star

M

4.9

5star

T

4.1

5star

CL

2.2

4star

D

14.3

3star

K

8.8

4star

HB

5.5

3star

M

4.8

4star

T

2.5

3star

CL

0.8

3star

D

10.4

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.4

4star

CL

0.8

3star

, Shai Bolton

15

Shai Bolton

Age

26

Ht

176cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.3

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

12.7

3star

K

9.2

4star

HB

3.5

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.7

4star

CL

1.8

4star

D

9.2

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

4.6

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.0

1star

or Tyson Stengle

18

Tyson Stengle

Age

26

Ht

175cm

Wt

71kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.3

2star

K

5.8

2star

HB

3.5

3star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.4

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

10.3

3star

K

5.3

2star

HB

5.0

3star

M

1.3

1star

T

2.0

3star

G

0.5

4star

D

8.8

3star

K

5.6

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.6

4star

G

1.6

5star

so don't be disappointed if neither of the fan bois miss out in favour of the Sydney poster boy.

 

[tiger_tough]

Can the Richmond faithful give me actual facts, statistics even of why Bolton is being rated as highly as he is?


Right now, probably not in the top 20 players in the comp, next tier? sure, but lets not pretend he is better than he actually is.

Hes ranked 13th and climbing in the league for starters.

But the main reason is because he's the most impactful player in the comp. Nearly 50% of his touches are in scoring chains. Way ahead of any other player in the league. Plus hes had 80 odd shots at goal which is rediculous for a mid/fwd. If he can tidy up his finishing he'd be close to the best player in the comp. Some are saying he already is.