AFL Trades 2024: Richmond remain firm on massive asking price from Fremantle for star forward Shai Bolton

Fremantle’s pursuit of Shai Bolton appears destined to run close to the trade period’s Wednesday deadline as Richmond continue to hold firm on their massive asking price. The Tigers want picks 10 and 11 from the Dockers in exchange for the two-time premiership forward, who still has four years left on a deal at Punt Road. Fremantle have been willing to part with 10 and 18, with both parties still at a stalemate despite more meetings on Tuesday. Bolton’s manager Anthony Van Der Wielen flew to Melbourne on Monday evening to try to finish brokering the deal that would get the 2022 All-Australian forward in purple for next season. The Dockers were willing to part with all three of their first-round picks if they could have landed Bolton and fellow wantaway WA product Liam Baker, but the potential deal was struck out when the latter got his wish and was traded to West Coast on Tuesday morning. Freo list boss David Walls and head of football Joe Brierty have both publicly stated they believe the offer of picks 10 and 18 were good enough to get a deal done for Bolton, but were happy to go to the draft instead if it became too expensive. “We look at the talent of Shai and the situation they’re in and we look at the consistency of the market and feel like the offer is really strong for him,” Brierty told Trade Radio on Monday. “Ultimately, we need to be responsible as a club and be balanced in our approach. We want to see Shai at our football club but as it stands, we feel like there’s a really strong offer. “Those conversations will continue to evolve, but that’s where it stands at the moment.” Richmond already have a strong draft hand with picks 1, 14, 20, 24, 51, 61, 70 and 76. A deal for Bolton will only add to that while they’re predicted to land picks six and 23 from Gold Coast for recently crowned Jack Dyer medallist Dan Rioli. It would leave Adem Yze’s team with six picks inside the first round of this year’s draft. If the Dockers retain pick 11, they could on-trade it for future picks in the pursuit of Sydney’s Chad Warner, who is out of contract next season. It could also be used to get Peel Thunder premiership star Bo Allan, who is highly touted by the club and is predicted to fall in the middle of the first round this year.