Utility looks to continue season's good form into 2009
QUALITY Peel Thunder utility Quinton Bolton is pleased to finish the 2008 WAFL season in good form and is hoping to help the club into the finals next year.
Despite being just 24, Bolton has been playing league football with Peel since 2003 and is one of the most talented, experienced and versatile players at the Mandurah-based club.
When fit in 2008, Bolton was crucial in the side winning eight games for the first time in a season and he has done it by playing key roles in defence, through the middle, occasionally up forward and in the ruck.
Bolton's 74th game was at Steel Blue Oval against Swan Districts in Round 23 and it was one he won't forget anytime soon.
With in-form ruckman Zac Beeck out injured and Al McDonald struggling when in the ruck early, Bolton was forced to do battle with Nicholas Naitanui and Llane Spaanderman for most of the day despite only standing at 182cm. He was giving up 11cm to Spaanderman and 15 to Naitanui.
While Naitanui and Spaanderman were good for Swans, Bolton was also terrific for Peel and was able to hold his own in the ruck contests due to his vertical leap and then did well around the ground.
"It was a big loss losing Zac and their two ruckmen have a fair bit of height over me so it was tough but all I could do was jump and try my best. I try to focus on the ball, not worry about them and try to read it better," Bolton said.
"They are two good ruckmen but I think I held my own. My fitness hasn’t been the best this year due to injury but I enjoyed it. A few years back I spent a bit of time in the ruck and I tried to get back to those older days of running around there. They are much bigger than me but usually slower so I try to use that to my advantage."
Bolton also got the first-hand look at what AFL opponents will come up against over the next decade by playing on Naitanui and he has no doubt about how good he can become once drafted later this year.
"He's going to be a legend," he said.
"I rate the boy really high. He runs like a midfielder, he's a big boy, has a great vertical leap and he will be one of the stars like Chris Judd I think down the track."
One of the best in the league
SINCE playing league football as a teenager, Bolton has shown he has all the talent to be one of the best players in the league.
However, problems with coaches, the tribunal, injuries and fitness have hampered his progress at times but he has played some scintillating football over his 74 games.
With Peel lacking size and talent in much of his time, he has been forced to be given some of the league's biggest roles and has acquitted himself well, and now after overcoming early season injuries he is keen to take his strong second half of the season form into pre-season and 2009 with him.
"I got injured in Round 1 and tore my knee in Round 2, so I needed surgery after that. I came back slowly and have only picked up my form in the last month and a bit. Hopefully I can take that into next year and help Peel a lot more. I try to be as consistent as I can to help out my teammates," he said.
"I'm a bit quiet around the club but on the field I feel like a leader. I direct and help out the younger boys, and hopefully I can come on even more as a leader next year. I try to lead by example, play my best and hopefully the younger fellas follow."
Bolton is hopeful he can avoid an injury-interrupted run in 2009 and is sure with Chris Waterman at the helm that Peel can improve on this season and play finals next year.
"This has been my worst year with injuries but hopefully I can now do a full pre-season to get fully fit and I can have a bright future. My body's not feeling too bad but I can't wait to have a bit of a break now," he said.
"The club is in its best position to be successful and Chris has done a great job. He believes in the younger guys which we have a lot of and we have a very bright future. Hopefully, 'Ballas' (Hayden Ballantyne) gets drafted after being a livewire all year, Johnny Bennell is exciting after coming up from the colts and 'Luffy' (Chris Luff) played his first game and did well down back."
The last two years Bolton has spent the summer playing in the Northern Territory Football League which included winning a premiership with Southern Districts in the 2006/07 season, but he's yet to decide whether or not to return this year.
"The thought is there but I'm not 100 per cent sure at the moment," he said.
"I'll only go if the club supports me and that's up to them. It's a great experience to do it and I've enjoyed myself. It's totally different to Perth so it's good but we'll wait and see if I do it again."
Thunder fans would have also noticed Bolton's younger brother, Josh, playing colts and reserves football this year. He has all the ability of his older brother, but the 18-year-old has had several run-ins with the tribunal like Quinton did earlier in his career.
"He's just a bit young and has to mature a bit more. He is bigger than me, can run as fast as me and has a bright future if he can sort out his discipline," he said.
"I try to tell him to not worry about but I can't say much more than that. I've had my problems with that in the past but hopefully I've grown out of it. I've only been reported once this year for a bit of a mishap but hopefully I've grown up and can stay that way."
CHRIS PIKE
Chris.Pike@Sportal.com.au
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Last Modified on 04/10/2008 14:05