Shai Bolton to inherit Richmond legend Kevin Bartlett’s No.29

RICHMOND legend Kevin Bartlett has given the club’s new No.29 Shai Bolton his stamp of approval, saying the club desperately needs the speed and excitement he has the capacity to produce.

Kevin Bartlett & new Richmond recruit Shai Bolton . Bolton is going tobwear his no 29 jumper in the AFL Picture:Wayne Ludbey

RICHMOND legend Kevin Bartlett has given the club’s new No.29 Shai Bolton his stamp of approval, saying the club desperately needs the speed and excitement the young West Australian has the capacity to produce.

Bartlett met Bolton, who turns 18 on Thursday, at Punt Rd this week to wish him well after being drafted to the Tigers at pick 29 in the national draft.

“I hope he turns out to be a lot better than me,” Bartlett said.

“From what they tell me, he has got exceptional pace and exceptional skills and is quite an impressive player.

“Shai obviously needs to spend some time in the gym, but if he can bring those attributes to the team over the next few years, that’s going to be a real bonus for the club.

“We need more players like that.”

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Bolton hadn’t heard of Bartlett when the club asked him to take on one of the club’s most revered numbers.

Bolton has been given the No.29 worn by Kevin Bartlett. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

But he jumped at the chance after going on a video crash course on what the Tigers icon achieved in his 403-game career.

“I would be proud to be wearing any Richmond number; I’m just happy to be drafted,” Bolton said.

“But to be able to wear his number is a massive honour.”

“They showed me a video of him and told me he kicked seven goals in a Grand Final (1980) and that he played the third most games ever.”

The No.29 jumper became available this year when Ty Vickery took a free agency route to Hawthorn and Bartlett gave Bolton the same advice that he has given past players to have worn his jumper since his retirement in 1983.

“I asked him if he liked to handball and he said he does,” Bartlett joked.

“I told him to forget about it, it’s a fad and a craze that will never take off.

“I would prefer him to just accelerate and explode away and kick the goals.”

Kevin Bartlett says Bolton is the type of player the Tigers need. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

South Fremantle insiders marvelled this year at one of Bolton’s more unusual handballs in a colts match when he somehow managed to execute one from behind his body.

KB may not have loved the fact it was a handball, but he would have been delighted by the flair and ball skills that brought it about.

Bolton is a distant relative of the Krakouer brothers and says he has tried to base his game on his two favourite players — Hawthorn’s Cyril Rioli and Fremantle’s Michael Walters.

“I want to play that fast forward kind of role,” he said.

“I want to make sure I work as hard as I can and just give 100 per cent effort on the field.

Originally from Katanning, he has lived in Mandurah for most of his life, while also attending boarding school in Perth and coming through the South Fremantle colts.

Originally published as Shai Bolton to inherit Richmond legend Kevin Bartlett’s No.29