Shai Bolton signed a five-year deal with Richmond on Tuesday which will keep him at the club until 2028.
It was an announcement that was welcomed with open arms by the Tiger Army who love the way the 24-year-old goes about it.
Bolton enjoyed another superb season in 2022, finishing fourth in the Jack Dyer Medal for a third straight year, while claiming his maiden All-Australian blazer.
In the past, Kane Cornes has even critical of clubs offering long-term deals for any player but has nothing negative to say about Richmond’s pursuit in locking Bolton away.
He believes whatever the Tigers are paying Bolton will be worth it.
SHAI BOLTON COMMITS TO RICHMOND ON LONG-TERM DEAL
“He was a top-10 player last season with an absolute rocket,” Cornes said on SEN’s Sportsday.
“The five-year deal and all of that, I’d love to know what they’re paying him because I reckon he’d be worth every cent.
“At 24 years of age he just has an incredible future.
“A nightmare matchup for anyone.”
Co-host Gerard Healy agreed with those sentiments, rating Bolton’s 2022 season up there with anyone else in the league.
“A nightmare matchup, he is in the same ilk as (Connor) Rozee,” he said.
“His move into the middle was timely and probably overdue. Ball in hand, forward of centre, he’s a hell of a player coming through.
“He probably had as good a year after about Round 6 as anybody in the comp this year.”
Bolton averaged 17.5 disposals and kicked 43 goals in 2022 which ranked second at the club behind Tom Lynch.
The two-time premiership player has 90 games and 100 goals to his name across his six-season career to date.
Only prized recruits Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper (2029) have longer deals with the Tigers than Bolton.
Cornes named the young Tiger as a candidate to be the best player in the AFL in 2023.