Shai Bolton unveiled in Fremantle Dockers jumper after making move to WA

It’s been a long wait for Freo fans after securing the services of Shai Bolton more than six weeks ago, but the sight of the star recruit finally donning a purple jumper for the first time is well worth it.

Bolton was all smiles as he was snapped in a Dockers strip upon landing in WA this week, with the 2022 All-Australian and two-time premiership player ready to get to work after being welcomed at the club on Thursday.

“My family and I are very excited to finally land. We’ve had a hectic couple of weeks, but we’re glad to be back home now,” Bolton shared.

“I’ve always been in Melbourne, and every time I’ve come here (to Perth), my family has been in the stands.

“It feels like playing junior football again, with all your family, cousins, and everyone watching you play. You just can’t help but get excited.”

Freo teammates Michael Walters and Jaeger O’Meara were among the first to ‘like’ the images of Bolton in purple after the club posted them to Instagram.

Bolton has been a late arrival in the west after remaining in Victoria in the wake of his blockbuster trade out of Richmond to celebrate the birth of his second child with partner Hasina Baluch.

“It was hard at first, but now that we have all our family here, including my partner’s family, it’s great. We’re excited to be back. It just feels good to finally be home,” Bolton said.

The 25-year-old is set to hit the track for the first time as a Docker on Friday, where fans’ keen eyes will be fixed to the back of his training strip to see if there’s a reveal on which number he’ll don in 2025.

Barring a deal with Cooper Simpson, Bolton won’t be able to continue in the No.29 he wore at Tigerland after last year’s Dockers draftee was handed the number by club great Matthew Pavlich.

“I love the look of purple. I’ve been black and yellow for so long, but the change to purple suits me. I can’t wait to wear it on game day,” he grinned.

“I’ve already met some of the other boys in Melbourne, and I’m excited to dive in and start training with them.”

As well as being the club’s first All-Australian recruit in almost two decades, Bolton arrives in the west with a stellar record under his belt at Fremantle’s Optus Stadium home.

The midfielder/forward has polled 10 Brownlow votes at the venue in nine appearances there, saving some of his best performances for his home state.

Outgoing Dockers stalwart Peter Bell this month declared Bolton was the player who could help launch Fremantle into genuine premiership contention, saying the club now had a “top-four list” after his recruitment.

“I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but as the type of player - he’s exactly what Fremantle needed,” Bell said.

“He is exactly that missing piece, I feel… that mid/forward, that X-factor, that ability to create scores from chances that other people perhaps couldn’t capitalise on.”