Holmes on making his first Grand Final

It is pretty amazing, I keep saying to people that the naivety in me at a young age to think that we won in 2022, it was just going to be easy from there on in.

2023 I thought we would keep going and win it again, I just kind of thought that was what footy was for Geelong.

We missed out on Finals and then I was back to drawing board thinking are we going to play Finals again, am I going to be in a bit of strife here.

Credit to the boys, we have really turned it around from then and we have got a lot of young guys in the same boat as me, playing their first Grand Final.

I am really excited to be sharing this week with them, hopefully we can get a win for them. 

Holmes on whether the Cats are confident after the Qualifying Final

Maybe, but they beat us the first two times this year.

We were pretty putrid, and I would say that they would be thinking that they weren't too flash in the Qualifying Final.

A little bit will be similar to last time, but Scotty is a pretty tactical guy and he will have different things up his sleeve to focus on this week for a good opposition. 

Holmes on the celebrations on Friday night

It was a pretty happy feeling.

I said to Gryan at three quarter time that I normally do it [hamstring] in the third quarter, so I got through the dark period.

It was good fun to get off knowing we had the win and that we were playing this week.

As strange as it is, it was almost like last year was as bad as it could have gotten, so it was like a clean slate this year and I wasn't too worried about it in the lead up. 

Holmes on the Lions midfield and Lachie Neale

Their midfield is going strong as it is anyway, he [Neale] would be a great addition either way.

They had a lot of disposals in that game, but I thought we handled the midfield really well with less touches.

I don't know what that says, but he is a great player. 

Holmes on the fresh faces at Geelong

I don't think it really matters for anyone out there, how many premierships they have already won.

I think the desire is there for everybody, because it's what you play footy for.

You don't play footy to not play Finals or to not get to this stage.

We are in a fortunate position, I think some guys have won premierships and I think they are just as keen as the rest of us. 

Holmes on what it would mean to win a premiership

I have put in the rear window, it was a tough period for me so I have kind of just forgotten about it a little bit.

I don't think it would be any different I think in a sense.

In 2022 I felt like a bit of an outsider in that team. I was young and we had an old list, where as now I really feel immersed in the side.

I feel like among the guys, we have got a really strong group and I think just in that sense, it will probably mean a bit more than what it would have meant in 2022.