Vale Ali Bolt
St Francis Xavier’s Catholic Church in Ballina was overflowing on January 7 as family and friends gathered to attend the funeral of Alister Bolt Snr, one of the top Aboriginal rugby league players to come from the Cabbage Tree Island settlement near Wardell.
Ali, as he was known, was born in 1951. He passed away on January 1 this year.
A proud Bundjalung man and one of the leading figures within the Aboriginal communities of the North Coast, Ali began his league career with the old Woodburn club.
He moved on to South Lismore, where he won the Group One Player of the Year award in 1979.
Ali also played for Ballina, where he went on to coach the Seagulls A-grade and reserve grade teams. He also had playing or coaching stints with Nambucca Warriors, Ngaku Warriors in Kempsey and Lismore Workers.
He was a regular at the big New South Wales Aboriginal Rugby League Association (NARLA) knockouts, and was a NARLA committee member.
Ali attended Cabbage Tree Island primary and Ballina high schools, and worked in many fields. He was an Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer with Lismore and Ballina police stations.
After giving away league, Ali concentrated on touch football and went on to achieve much, highlighted by being chosen as a New South Wales Over-50s representative.
He was a star of the famed Ballina touch team, The Pied Pipers, who were unbeatable for many years. In fact, the team clocked up a record of 97 unbeaten games.
Ali was the son of Kathleen and Christy Bolt Snr. He was raised by his uncle, Earnest Cook.
