Craig Bolton
Encyclopedia
Craig Bolton is an Australian rules football
er who has played with the Brisbane Lions
and the Sydney Swans
in the Australian Football League
(AFL). He often plays at full back or on the half back flank. He is unrelated to former Swans teammate Jude Bolton
.
in Canberra
, and the NSW
/ACT
Under 18s team, Bolton was picked by Brisbane in the 3rd round of the 1998 AFL Draft
. He was on the Lions' list from 1999 until 2002, making his debut against Carlton
in Round 1 of the 2000 season. Being unable to gain a regular place in the very strong Brisbane team of the time forced Bolton to depart the club at the end of the 2002 season, managing only 29 games since his debut.
Bolton was selected by Sydney in the 2003 pre-season draft and was immediately given a starting role in the team. Quickly cementing his place in the side's backline, Bolton missed only one game in his first seven years with the Swans. His first three years with Sydney mirrored his time at Brisbane, with the Swans' making the preliminary finals in 2003, semi-finals in 2004 and the grand final in 2005. As opposed to his emergency listing for the 2001 and 2002 Grand Finals for the Lions, Bolton was now a regular member of the team for Sydney, and as such played a part in the Grand Final victory over West Coast
, earning his first premiership medal, as well as finishing third in the club's Best and Fairest Award.
Gradually establishing himself as one of the AFL
's standout defenders, Bolton was awarded a place in the 2006 All-Australian team on the half-back flank position, and again in the 2009 team at his preferred position of centre-half back. He also finished third in the Swans' 2007 Best and Fairest Award.
At the beginning of the 2008 season, Bolton was named Swans' co-captain, alongside Brett Kirk
and Leo Barry
. Later that year Bolton represented the Dream Team Australian rules football team
in the Hall of Fame exhibition match
at the MCG.
The latter half of his season in 2008 was somewhat restricted by a groin injury. After the Swans exited the finals, he travelled to Germany with teammate Adam Goodes
for surgery.
In 2010, Bolton sustained a bad achilles injury against West Coast at the SCG in Round 4, ruling him out for the year.
On the 24th of March, 2011, Bolton announced his immediate retierment after an ankle injury which would rule him out of the upcoming 2011 AFL season
.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who has played with the Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
and the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL). He often plays at full back or on the half back flank. He is unrelated to former Swans teammate Jude Bolton
Jude Bolton
Jude Bolton is an Australian rules football player with the Sydney Swans of the AFL. Bolton currently holds the record for most tackles in a VFL/AFL career....
.
Playing career
Having played for the Eastlake Football ClubEastlake Football Club
Eastlake Football Club is a semi-professional Australian rules football club based in the inner-south of Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory. They compete in the North East Australian Football League.-Championship Success:...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, and the NSW
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
/ACT
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
Under 18s team, Bolton was picked by Brisbane in the 3rd round of the 1998 AFL Draft
1998 AFL Draft
The 1998 AFL Draft consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period and a rookie elevation. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.In 1998 there...
. He was on the Lions' list from 1999 until 2002, making his debut against Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
in Round 1 of the 2000 season. Being unable to gain a regular place in the very strong Brisbane team of the time forced Bolton to depart the club at the end of the 2002 season, managing only 29 games since his debut.
Bolton was selected by Sydney in the 2003 pre-season draft and was immediately given a starting role in the team. Quickly cementing his place in the side's backline, Bolton missed only one game in his first seven years with the Swans. His first three years with Sydney mirrored his time at Brisbane, with the Swans' making the preliminary finals in 2003, semi-finals in 2004 and the grand final in 2005. As opposed to his emergency listing for the 2001 and 2002 Grand Finals for the Lions, Bolton was now a regular member of the team for Sydney, and as such played a part in the Grand Final victory over West Coast
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
, earning his first premiership medal, as well as finishing third in the club's Best and Fairest Award.
Gradually establishing himself as one of the AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
's standout defenders, Bolton was awarded a place in the 2006 All-Australian team on the half-back flank position, and again in the 2009 team at his preferred position of centre-half back. He also finished third in the Swans' 2007 Best and Fairest Award.
At the beginning of the 2008 season, Bolton was named Swans' co-captain, alongside Brett Kirk
Brett Kirk
Brett Kirk is a former Australian rules football player of the Sydney Swans, and is known colloquially as "Kirky", "Captain Kirk", during the 2005 AFL Finals Series, "Captain Blood" and by teammates as "Hippy". Kirk is a hard working and onfield leader who has played in a premiership with the...
and Leo Barry
Leo Barry
Leo Barry is a retired Australian rules footballer in the AFL with the Sydney Swans.Originally from Deniliquin, New South Wales, he attended St Ignatius' College, Riverview before being drafted as a zone selection in the 1994 National Draft and making his debut in the final round of the 1995...
. Later that year Bolton represented the Dream Team Australian rules football team
Dream Team Australian rules football team
The Dream Team was an AFL representative team created to take part in the AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match against a Victorian representative team....
in the Hall of Fame exhibition match
AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match
The AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match was a one-off all-star game between two representative sides organised by the Australian Football League to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Australian rules football....
at the MCG.
The latter half of his season in 2008 was somewhat restricted by a groin injury. After the Swans exited the finals, he travelled to Germany with teammate Adam Goodes
Adam Goodes
Adam Goodes is a professional Australian rules football player with the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League ....
for surgery.
In 2010, Bolton sustained a bad achilles injury against West Coast at the SCG in Round 4, ruling him out for the year.
On the 24th of March, 2011, Bolton announced his immediate retierment after an ankle injury which would rule him out of the upcoming 2011 AFL season
2011 AFL season
The 2011 Australian Football League season was the 115th season of the Australian rules football competition. It was the debut year for , and was scheduled to be the only season to be played with 17 teams...
.
Career achievements
- International Rules Australian representative 2004
- Premiership player 2005
- 3rd best and fairest 2005, 2007
- 2006 All Australian
- 2008–Present Co-Captain
- 2009 All Australian
Season Statistics
| Year | Team | Number | Games | Kicks | Handballs | Total Disposals | Marks | Tackles | Goals | Behinds | Goal Accuracy % | Brownlow Medal Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Brisbane | 26 | 15 | 120 | 41 | 161 | 54 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 63% | 0 |
| 2001 | Brisbane | 26 | 8 | 48 | 33 | 81 | 23 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 60% | 0 |
| 2002 | Brisbane | 26 | 6 | 24 | 17 | 41 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 0 |
| 2003 | Sydney | 6 | 24 | 177 | 108 | 285 | 93 | 35 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 0 |
| 2004 | Sydney | 6 | 24 | 164 | 106 | 270 | 81 | 57 | 6 | 0 | 100% | 0 |
| 2005 | Sydney | 6 | 26 | 211 | 137 | 348 | 112 | 62 | 1 | 3 | 25% | 1 |
| 2006 | Sydney | 6 | 24 | 245 | 104 | 349 | 144 | 59 | 3 | 4 | 43% | 0 |
| 2007 | Sydney | 6 | 23 | 244 | 110 | 354 | 138 | 40 | 3 | 2 | 60% | 1 |
| 2008 | Sydney | 6 | 24 | 249 | 153 | 402 | 148 | 45 | 2 | 1 | 67 | 5 |
| Totals | 174 | 1482 | 809 | 2291 | 802 | 319 | 25 | 17 | 59% | 7 |