SYDNEY Swans great Michael O'Loughlin has backed Jude Bolton to continue his career in 2013 and overtake him on the club's all-time games played list.
Having played his part in the Swans' stunning premiership campaign, Bolton is weighing up whether to continue into a 15th AFL season next year.
The Swans are keeping a spot open on their roster for the 32-year-old, who played 22 games this season to move past 300 for his career.
Bolton picked up a career-high 41 possessions against the Western Bulldogs in round 10 and also kicked a personal best 23 goals for the year, and O'Loughlin is confident he will again don the red and white in 2013.
"I've got a feeling he'll go on because he had such a great year," O'Loughlin told AFL.com.au.
"I haven't spoken to Jude, he's on holidays at the moment, but my gut feel is that he'll play purely because the year that he had was an extraordinary one.
"He obviously had that hiccup with that injury, but he was able to come back in the finals and be really significant.
"I thought he was fantastic against Collingwood in the prelim final at Homebush. He really set the standard with his hardness.
"The way he goes about his footy is first class and it's always been first class, so I don't see any reason why he won't continue to play."
"That injury" was the partially torn knee ligaments he suffered against Carlton in round 19, forcing him to miss three matches, but he managed to return and carried the injury through the finals series.
Bolton himself said last week he believes his body is in good enough shape to continue and "the fire still burns to win another premiership".
He turns 33 one week before the new season commences, but O'Loughlin has no doubt Bolton can play and contribute next year.
"We all know what Jude's like, he's one of the toughest guys to ever play the game," he said.
"If he can stay fresh in his mind and the body is holding up OK with a bit of rest over these couple of months, he'll be fantastic again I think for them."
Click here to view Bolton's career stats
Bolton ended the year on 301 games, just two shy of the Swans' former games record-holder O'Loughlin.
O'Loughlin is now in second place behind his great mate Adam Goodes, who has streaked ahead to 319 appearances.
O'Loughlin would be happy for Bolton to move ahead of him next year, but believes Goodes will set a mark that will never be broken.
"It's very rare that three players in the same era get to play 300 games, certainly for our footy club," he said.
"The three of us are really good mates and to play 300 games, if you'd told us at 17 that would happen, we would've told you to bugger off.
"But no one will catch Goodesy. He'll be the Swans' record-holder I'd say forever."
James Dampney is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_JD
