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Surprised Docker wins Norm Smith Medal in losing grand final team
Shai Bolton with the Norm Smith Medal after the Dockers' loss to the Lions. (Getty Images/AFL Photos: Daniel Carson)
Shai Bolton has won the Norm Smith Medal, despite the Dockers losing the grand final to the Lions.
Bolton is the first player from a losing team to win the best-on-ground award in 21 years.
Fremantle's Shai Bolton has become the first player in 21 years to win the Norm Smith Medal in a losing grand final team.
Minutes after the heartbreaking 14.12 (96) to 12.17 (89) defeat to the Brisbane Lions at the MCG, where the Dockers were overrun in the closing stages, Bolton was as surprised as anyone to hear his name called.
See the full votes: Bolton joins rare club by winning Norm Smith in losing team
FREMANTLE star Shai Bolton has become just the fifth player in the history of the Norm Smith Medal – and the first in 21 years – to win the coveted best on ground award in a losing Grand Final.
Bolton adds his name to legendary figures Chris Judd (West Coast, 2005), Nathan Buckley (Collingwood, 2002), Gary Ablett snr (Geelong, 1989) and Maurice Rioli (Richmond, 1982).
The two-time premiership Tiger starred in his first decider for the Dockers, finishing with 26 disposals – most on the ground for Fremantle – 10 contested possessions, nine score involvements, nine inside 50s, seven marks and five tackles.
In one of the most evenly battled Norm Smith voting games in recent history, the man who won the previous two – Will Ashcroft – finished equal second alongside Brisbane veteran Dayne Zorko.
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Whateley: Why Ashcroft should have record-tying Norm Smith
While Fremantle’s Shai Bolton walks away from this year’s AFL Grand Final as the Norm Smith Medallist, Gerard Whateley thinks the award should have gone to someone else.
For the first time since 2005, a player from a losing side claimed the best on-ground medal, with the 27-year-old doing so with 26 disposals alongside game highs in metres gained (686) and score involvements (nine) in the Dockers’ seven point loss to the Lions on Saturday afternoon.
This year’s votes spread saw it harder to find a consensus with Bolton only receiving 10 of a possible 15 votes (the lowest vote count to win the award since 2016).
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