The Dockers surprised many when they selected Bootsma with their only pick in the 2000 pre season draft (2nd overall).
After spending the first seven rounds of the 2000 season playing in the WAFL with South Fremantle, Bootsma was selected to make his debut in Round 8 against Collingwood at the Docklands Stadium in a rare (for AFL) Monday night game.
However, the tumultuous round 10 match against Richmond, Ben Allan's first as caretaker coach after Damian Drum was sacked, would be Bootsma's last, due initially to a knee injury and later he was unable to break into the team eager to rebuild for the future.
In 1997 he helped South to win the WAFL Premiership and he won the best and fairest award in 1999.
[3] He was an integral part of the 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 premiership sides, winning the Alan Barnett Medal for the best on ground in 2008.