The pouring rain didn’t deter thousands of fans lining the fence to get one last handshake, hug or photo with the 325-gamer, while other fans wore Jude Bolton masks and held up banners for the popular Swan.
One of the more touching moments of Bolton’s lap was when he reached the northern grandstand and embraced long-time supporter Kenny Williams, who was sitting behind the goals.
Bolton also received a hug from Adam Goodes and high fives from other Swans players, who had greeted their great mate at the top of the player race.
“There were just a lot of familiar faces of people I’ve met over the journey and I certainly have been very blessed with the amount of support I’ve received over the years,” Bolton told SwansTV after completing his lap.
“You’ve got to give Kenny a hug and also to the Australian of the Year!”
The much-loved Swan, who retired at the end of the 2013 finals campaign, said he was overwhelmed by the support he received during his lap of honour.“It was phenomenal,” he said.
“I was standing in the race beforehand and thought everyone would be a bit worried about the rain.
“I was really pleased with the turnout and very honoured that the club would even think about doing something like this for me.”
A highlights package of Bolton’s stellar career was shown in the stadium before his lap, which showcased standout moments of his 15 seasons at the Swans.
While goals and wins made up part of Bolton’s highlights reel, his 1490 career tackles – which still stands as an AFL record – were the biggest feature.
Bolton said he was proud of what he had achieved at the Swans and said he felt privileged to be able to end his career on his own terms.
“I’ve been really lucky with the way I’ve finished up,” he said.
“You never know when the right time to finish is, and certainly not everyone is afforded that way to go out.
“I’ve been really lucky to finish my career and hold so many good memories of being here.”
