Shai Bolton’s ‘Photo of the year’ is total insanity

Richmond star Shai Bolton’s “ridiculous” athletic feat left fans stunned — now a photo is adding to the social media frenzy.

Shai Bolton’s crazy mark. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Shai Bolton’s ridiculous mark in the first quarter of Friday night’s clash against Geelong has confirmed just how valuable the 22-year-old is to Richmond’s forward line.

The 175cm Tiger jumped on the shoulders of the 198cm tall Mark Blicavs, then got an extra boost to go so high into the air that he ended up taking a chest mark. There were shades of Shaun Smith’s classic 1996 screamer against Brisbane at the Gabba, so Bolton could be forgiven for looking up to the scoreboard to take a sneak peek at the replay before converting the set shot from point-blank range.

Shai Bolton’s grab should be impossible. Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Social media erupted after Bolton’s grab, with pundits calling the mark “ridiculous”, “red hot” and “mark of the year so far for sure”.

The photos of the freak athleticism added to the frenzy with Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes questioning if one incredible shot was already the photo of the year.

Photo of the year? #AFLTigersCatshttps://t.co/jrS4y8fQ8s

— Kane Cornes (@kanecornes) May 7, 2021

There were some simply astonishing photos of Bolton’s grab.

Shai Bolton takes a classic. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Perfection. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

It’s not hard to see why commentators were in a spin.

It’s all about the dismount. Mark of the year so far for sure. Shai Bolton take a bow @FOXFOOTYpic.twitter.com/XnLVMNCDZC

— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) May 7, 2021

Absolute gun is Shai Bolton, not just the leap, but the balance, pace, skills. Still don't think people realise how good he is. #AFLTigersCats

— Rohan Connolly (@rohan_connolly) May 7, 2021

Shai Bolton is red hot #AFLTigersCats

— bluenuff (@blues19951999) May 7, 2021

I remember going to the U18 All-Stars game in 2016 and being more impressed with Shai Bolton than any other draftee that year with how he moved and how he was crafty. But took a genius in Hardwick to figure out how to use his strengths through the corridor and not as a flanker

— Nick Welch (@NickWelch51) May 7, 2021

If Shai Bolton was any higher he’d need oxygen. #AFLTigersCatspic.twitter.com/HWLvZXny6P

— Andrew J Phelan (@ajphelo) May 7, 2021

Geelong’s off-season decision to recruit Jeremy Cameron is already paying massive dividends after the former Giant played a key role in the Cats thumping their bogie side Richmond by 63 points in their grand final rematch at the MCG.

The Cats had lost six of their previous seven games against the Tigers, including three finals, but there was one crucial difference between those encounters and Friday night’s meeting – Jeremy Cameron.

The result saw the Cats conquer a major psychological hurdle in their bid for long-awaited premiership success and Cameron looms as a key piece to that ambition. It hasn’t taken him long to fit into his new team, and after just three games, he is already the Cats’ most dangerous forward.

Cameron ran rampant, finishing up with 22 disposals, eight marks, six goals and 15 score involvements.

He could have had seven majors if he didn’t do his best Malcolm Blight impersonation late in the third quarter when his quick snap under pressure from two metres out went the wrong side of the goal post, despite having more time to settle than he realised.

He had plenty of support in attack, too, with Gary Rohan (five) and Tom Hawkins (four) combining with Cameron for 15 goals.

Cameron has proven an astute pick-up for the Cats. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Richmond’s trademark pressure was at its intense best in the first quarter and they were able to jump out to a 19-point lead early in the second quarter as a result. But like another flag challenger Melbourne did a few weeks ago, the Cats absorbed everything the Tigers threw at them, and then counterpunched with devastating effect, kicking eight goals in a row at one stage, on the back of increased pressure and physicality, to shoot out to a 42 point-lead early in the final term.

The ball spent a lot more time in the Cats’ forward half, placing Richmond’s usually reliable backline under duress, and it seemed to be missing the injured Dylan Grimes badly.

In a rare sight, the Tigers were flustered and unsure of themselves, uncharacteristically committing a clutch of defensive errors which directly led to Geelong goals.

With the Tigers having already lost to Sydney by 45 points, Melbourne by 34 and now Geelong by 63 in the opening two months, the question now has to be asked - is the Richmond empire starting to crumble?

RICHMOND’S THIRD QUARTER FROM HELL

It’s hard to remember Richmond’s backline having a worse 30 minutes during their premiership run than what they produced in the third quarter. It was just costly mistake after costly mistake.

Nathan Broad got the ball rolling with two huge errors in the first nine minutes, firstly dropping an easy mark which allowed Tom Hawkins to set up a goal for Brad Close, and secondly missing a simple target from 15m away, which led to a turnover and a Cameron goal.

Eight minutes later, youngster Rhyan Mansell dropped a sitter, allowing Hawkins to set up another Geelong major, this time for Gary Rohan. And another triple premiership Tiger in Nick Vlastuin rounded out the horror show with a pair of fumbles in the space of five minutes which both led to Cameron goals.

CATS’ ATTACK TEARS TIGERS TO SHREDS

It was an offensive masterclass from the Cats in the second half as they helped themselves to 13 goals to Richmond’s two.

They were able to achieve that incredible feat by comprehensively winning the marks inside 50 (20-6) and tackles inside 50 (18-4) as well as the disposals 439-308 and contested possessions 148-115 while still finishing on top in tackles 74-61.

CASTAGNA MILES OFF

Jason Castagna committed one of the worst shots on goal ever seen on a footy field in the first quarter. As the Richmond goalsneak ran to 35m out directly in front, he tried to banana the ball through the big sticks, but unfortunately for him, he kicked the wrong side of the ball, sending it out of bounds on the full about 45m out from goal. It’s hard to recall a ball missing its target by such a distance.

TIGERS 4.3 7.7 8.9 9.9 (63)

CATS 1.3 6.4 14.8 19.12 (126)

LERNER’S BEST Tigers: Bolton, Short, Aarts, Edwards. Cats: Cameron, Rohan, Hawkins, C.Guthrie, Henderson, Henry, Stewart.

GOALS Tigers: Aarts 3, Bolton 3, Lynch, D.Rioli, Riewoldt. Cats: Cameron 6, Rohan 5, Hawkins 4, Smith 2, Higgins, Close.

INJURIES Tigers: Edwards (ankle). Cats: Simpson (TBC), Dahlhaus (TBC).

LATE CHANGE Rhys Stanley was replaced in Geelong’s selected side by Esava Ratugolea

UMPIRES Haussen, Stephens, Williamson

VENUE MCG

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

LERNER’S VOTES

3 J.Cameron (Geel)

2 G.Rohan (Geel)

1 T.Hawkins (Geel)