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I double checked the official list before posting.

Besides Clem Michael was selected at Pick 21 - No father son was selected that early in that era. It was clubs last pick then a third round pick - looks like it was a third round pick in 1997.

Clem Michael was a mature aged draftee which is literally the only reason I can think of. Stephen Michael played over 1.5x what was needed for Clem to be a father son through the old WAFL rules.
Brett Peake 2003 👍
You are right about Clem though not an fs ☹️ - had a heart that bled purple - go and watch the demo derby ….loved the fella
 

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It will be fascinating to see what impact the availability of Bolton has on our game plan.

Will having a genuine small forward goal threat result in us being more direct?

Stinky Lomax (and any others with a keen eye for tactics/game plan)…any early thoughts?
It’s a good question.

I don’t think we need to change too much but suspect we will refine our handball off half back & have a more go forward mentality to move the ball slightly quicker. We tend to go back & around, I think they’ll work on going forward out of stoppage with handball which will allow for a more direct style & potentially deeper entries.

With the speed of Bolton & Freddy working back into F50 to either get separation to tick & mark or get front & centre we’d be silly not to try to go a bit more direct. We can do that by not changing too much, just by adjusting our shape out of stoppage.

On a personal note I’d like us to try & turn it over forward of centre as well, with Bolton in there it doesn’t have to come in pretty off turnover as long as we can bring it to ground or he stands on someone’s head!

Switta & Freddy are really going to benefit from going down the pecking order of small forwards the opposition have defend as well.
 
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The last time we played Richmond, he had kicked 4.2 out of 5.8 by 3/4-time.

27 out of 54 points for his team at the final siren.
He said he loves playing at Optus in front of his family and friends. It is one of the intangibles that could really ignite this trade into the stratosphere. In this version of reality Shai electrifies the Katanning section of the stadium at significant moments in game and the energy conducts through the team and indeed the rest of the crowd like a magnificent late summer thunderstorm. Wishing for that one.
 
Is it fair to say we haven't had an exciting fwd like bolton in the team since the Wiz
Seriously underrating Sonny Walters in his prime (when, sadly, everyone around him other than Fyfe was kind of useless). 44 goals in 2015 (more than Shai has ever kicked in a season), through to his AA 2019 year where he kicked 40 goals while also doing significant midfield minutes.

Shai probably peaks a little higher, but let's give Walters his flowers.
 
Seriously underrating Sonny Walters in his prime (when, sadly, everyone around him other than Fyfe was kind of useless). 44 goals in 2015 (more than Shai has ever kicked in a season), through to his AA 2019 year where he kicked 40 goals while also doing significant midfield minutes.

Shai probably peaks a little higher, but let's give Walters his flowers.
Honestly Hayden Ballantyne at his very best was pretty damn good as well. Don't let the last 2-3 years of his career make you forget that.
 
Honestly Hayden Ballantyne at his very best was pretty damn good as well. Don't let the last 2-3 years of his career make you forget that.
Ballas is a legend. Bled purple.

Pity his absolute worst game for the club was the 2013 GF (where I believe he may have been ill).
 
He said he loves playing at Optus in front of his family and friends. It is one of the intangibles that could really ignite this trade into the stratosphere. In this version of reality Shai electrifies the Katanning section of the stadium at significant moments in game and the energy conducts through the team and indeed the rest of the crowd like a magnificent late summer thunderstorm. Wishing for that one.
Isnt that how you set of a nuclear bomb?
Is it even legal?
 

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He said he loves playing at Optus in front of his family and friends. It is one of the intangibles that could really ignite this trade into the stratosphere. In this version of reality Shai electrifies the Katanning section of the stadium at significant moments in game and the energy conducts through the team and indeed the rest of the crowd like a magnificent late summer thunderstorm. Wishing for that one.

His career stats at Optus Stadium as a visiting player - 9 games: averages 21.6 disposals and 2.3 goals per game. He also has accumulated 10 Brownlow votes at the venue too.

Remember, the above stats for Bolton is as a visiting player so you'd assume you'd get similar output or better when Optus Stadium becomes his home ground.
 
Very very excited to watch him at Freo. Looks like an absolutely perfect fit for him with an elite midfield and other strong forward options will just mean the opposition just can't put all their focus on him and he will have space to tear the game apart.

2022 he looked like he could genuinely become one of the best players in the league but then in the past 2 years he just hasn't been on a team that gives him the opportunity to excel. Early prediction for me is a AA and 50+ goal season for him here.

Hope Freo have a great year, will be watching them as my 2nd team while Richmond just take a few years to chill and get thumped every week.
 
Was Clem Michael a father son pick up? There was some criteria early on that if a father played so many games for SF, EF, Claremont, Perth and Swans they would qualify as FS. Long time back to that now and the exact details are a little hazzy.

Nope.

Only father son we've ever had was Brett Peake.

We got lucky with Clem but we ran that poor boy into the dirt. Too many times we played him injured.
 
His career stats at Optus Stadium as a visiting player - 9 games: averages 21.6 disposals and 2.3 goals per game. He also has accumulated 10 Brownlow votes at the venue too.

Remember, the above stats for Bolton is as a visiting player so you'd assume you'd get similar output or better when Optus Stadium becomes his home ground.

Yep, I posted his Optus stats a few times over the last month to point out how good he could be. Without analysing every player in the competition, I said I would be surprised if there was a better performed player on average at our home ground.

And this from Walls yesterday backing this up:

“He can play through the midfield too. Some of his numbers with what he’s achieved at Optus Stadium when he’s played there also clearance numbers that go with the amount of ball he can find and work inside and play as a midfielder but then push forward and hit the scoreboard — you’re talking about the top two or three players in the competition with what he can do."
 
If we are expecting some kind of magical, intangible essence of Optus to impact Shai's performance, we may find ourselves disappointed. I'm sure he'll be very good. But it's a footy ground.
 
Some of the takes on this are puzzling. We just got an A grade talent, in his prime, that has runs on the board that prove he is a gun. This isnt Croad or Headland or any other fcuk up of years past. It's Shai Fcuking Bolton, delicious cream for the premiership cake!

The concern for a few of us is the cost. We've paid high cost before and not got the results. Bolton is a good footballer but so was Headland, Farmer, etc and the results were indifferent. The proof will be in the pudding but the concern will be there.
 
Dunno, kinda felt like Barra played some of his best footy at 36. Was just so silky smooth. Might have just been me marveling at a 36 year old playing like a 26 year old.

Either way, even if Shai has peaked, we still get peak Shai for at least 4-5 years before he starts to decline. I'm happy with that.
Just jumping in from someone that's watched almost every game he's played, he has not peaked. 2022 was his 6th season on the list, but only his 4th actually playing a full season of AFL and that was his AA season where he really took a giant leap. You don't peak that early in your career and you just watching him you can see how he could still be so much better.

He reminds me of Dusty's in a lot ways. Both incredibly damaging offensive players, both can't be tackled, both genuine game winners, both had critics at the start of their careers about being 'lazy', not consistent and only impacting a quarter or two then going missing.

Dusty had a bit of a breakout year in year 4, then kinda stagnated for the next few years playing at an elite level but still felt like he could be more, then year 8 in 2018 he just took it a whole other level and had a 2nd 'breakout'
Im waiting for Boltons second breakout where he takes all the good things hes already doing and shreds the inconsistency and can put it together week after week. I really believe he has it in him.
 
The concern for a few of us is the cost. We've paid high cost before and not got the results. Bolton is a good footballer but so was Headland, Farmer, etc and the results were indifferent. The proof will be in the pudding but the concern will be there.

It’s a fair concern but this is the cost of getting good payers through trade. You’re not getting them for cheaper very often, especially with such a long contract.
 
It’s a fair concern but this is the cost of getting good payers through trade. You’re not getting them for cheaper very often, especially with such a long contract.

That is just as true as the concern. However, a bigger concern is the reaction that some corner of fans on here are having. There has been some weird dog piling going on on people who haven't towed the majority line on Bolton. It's disheartening to see from what is usually a close forum.
 

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