Max Holmes is one youngster in the AFL we’re not talking about enough.
That’s the belief of former Western Bulldogs captain Brad Johnson, who says Holmes’ influence on games is flying under the radar.
The 20-year-old missed the 2022 Grand Final in heartbreaking circumstances after breaking into Geelong’s best 22 but has continued the form into this season.
He’s attended 34 per cent of centre bounces this year alongside his wing role, averaging over 20 disposals a game.
However, it’s not Holmes’ numbers but his impact that has Johnson excited, suggesting the Cat is among the most promising 20-year-olds in the game.
“I have been impressed for the last 12 months with this young man, Max Holmes, Mr impact,” Johnson began on SEN's Sportsday.
“He is a player who doesn’t need a lot of disposals, but his impact is high and first-class in the way he's playing his footy.
“Last week he had 22 and eight tackles and his second half in particular was just brilliant. He was clearly the highest-rated player on the ground after half-time last week so it just got me thinking… where he sits in the conversations.
“He’s 20 years of age, he’s rated amongst the best in the comp for his role at centre bounce and wing and with (Patrick) Dangerfield going down, he probably gets more of a run through the centre.
“He now consistently gets 20-25 disposals, not 15-20, so he’s taken that next step as a player.”
Holmes was awarded five coaches votes for his 21-disposal, five-clearance game in Geelong’s 26-point win over the Crows.
Originally taken with pick 20 in 2020, Johnson believes Holmes is currently having the second-best impact of any player taken out of that draft and the next.
“Nick Daicos is 20, I think we all know he’ll be no.1. Then we go Erroll Gulden, (Tanner) Bruhn, (Ollie) Henry, (Jack) Ginnivan, (Josh) Rachele, (Finn) Callaghan… I don’t think we’re talking about Holmes enough,” he added.
“We hear about Gulden about all the time, Bruhn and Henry were big recruits… Ginnivan, Rachelle and Callaghan get mentioned at the moment before Max Holmes, yet I think Max Holmes is having better impacts on games than potentially three, possibly four of them.”
Jhye Clark has been named for his debut in place of Dangerfield – who will miss a few weeks with a hamstring injury – against Richmond on Friday night, likely preserving Holmes’ spot on the wing.
After losing their first three games, Geelong is looking to make it six straight wins.