Dockers step up pursuit of Bolton

By ANNA HARRINGTON 

Fremantle have put to Richmond what they consider a “really strong offer” for contracted dynamo Shai Bolton in an attempt to get the Tigers to the table.

Elsewhere, Essendon enigma Jake Stringer appears increasingly likely to request a trade to GWS.

Bolton looms as the missing piece for a Fremantle team that has a hard-edged and classy midfield, an emerging forward line and sturdy defence without a star game changer.

Bolton, who can turn games as both a forward and midfielder, clearly fits the bill.

Dual-premiership Tiger Bolton, 25, is determined to return to his home state of Western Australia despite being contracted until the end of 2028.

He hasn’t nominated Fremantle officially but the Dockers loom as his destination given they hold a strong draft hand (picks No.10, 11 and 18.)

The offer currently on the table is reportedly picks No.10 and 18.

“We’ve obviously been in discussions with Shai and his manager for a little while now … he’s very keen to get back to Western Australia,” Fremantle’s general manager of football, strategy and special projects Peter Bell said.

“We’ve been in a lot of discussions so hopefully that can come to fruition over the next week or so.”

Bell wouldn’t say what he considered too high an asking price for Bolton, given his contracted status.

“We’ve gone in with what we believe to be a really strong offer,” Bell said on AFL Trade Radio.

“As everyone is aware the draft is very strong. So the offer that we’ve put forward is strong on any given year, but particularly this year we believe it to be a strong offer.

“There is a fair amount of negotiation to go so I’ll let Wallsy (Fremantle list boss David Walls) and Blair Hartley (Richmond list boss) do that over the next week, but hopefully from a Fremantle perspective we can make it work.”

In other news, Fremantle announced the arrival of former Perth Wildcats captain Damian Martin as the new head of the club’s leadership program.

Martin replaces former Western Bulldogs skipper Bob Murphy, who was boss of Fremantle’s women’s program and head of leadership before returning to Victoria.

AAP