On the day that Carlton announced the 36-year-old George Town product as their next senior coach, Mathew Armstrong paid tribute to his workrate, dedication and coaching potential.

Bolton was an ever-present rover and Darrel Baldock medallist in Armstrong’s North Launceston side that went through the 1998 statewide season undefeated, but it was as Tassie Devils coach that his mentor witnessed the making of the man.

‘‘I had to tell him he was not going to make it at VFL level because he just lacked a few attributes to move forward,’’ Armstrong recalled.

‘‘I had to do it one night at Campbell Town and I was pretty close with him. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do as a coach. He was devastated.

‘‘It was difficult, but in coaching you’ve got to make tough decisions, as he has found out, so to then see him blossom in the coaching field has been very rewarding.’’

Armstrong said Bolton bounced back from the rejection to launch his own coaching career with North Hobart, operating as captain-coach in their 2003 premiership.

‘‘They trained at the same ground as the Devils and I watched him go about his business and soon started to see his coaching attributes coming through.

‘‘He had a teaching background and that really helped, and in the end he taught me quite a few things. I thought, ‘This boy really has something to offer in coaching circles’.’’

Having also played for the Tassie Mariners under Chris Fagan – now  football operations manager at Hawthorn – Bolton coached North Hobart, the Devils, Clarence and the Hawks’ VFL affiliate Box Hill during seven years with Alastair Clarkson’s coaching panel.

He played a major role in the 2013 and ’14 AFL premierships, even standing in as senior coach for five straight wins when Clarkson was ill.

North Launceston wasted little time congratulating their former player when Carlton announced his appointment yesterday.

Bombers president Thane Brady said: ‘‘Bolts is a perfect example of what can be achieved through hard work and personal sacrifice to reach your dreams.

‘‘He is universally known as a top bloke who is accessible to our club officials when we need advice, and always makes himself available to help out where he can at the club that gave him his start.

‘‘He deserves this fantastic appointment and we all share in wishing him success.’’

Armstrong agreed that Bolton would be a ‘‘fantastic’’ AFL coach.

‘‘Carlton footy club have made the right decision,’’ he said.

‘‘His experience at Hawthorn will also hold him in good stead, but he will now put his own stamp on the club and I’m looking forward to watching that.

‘‘He has all the right traits: his work ethic, his ability to be the best he possibly can whatever he takes on, his ability to communicate with players and the relationships he forms with them.

‘‘It’s just in his DNA to be a competitor. 

‘‘It’s why he has got to where he is now and, hopefully, why he will have even more success.’’

Hawthorn confirmed on Tuesday that Bolton would finish up before Saturday’s trip to his old stamping ground of Aurora Stadium, saving him a conflict of interest in the final roster round when the Hawks take on Carlton.

Already among the coaching staff at the Blues is another George Town old boy, Brad Green.