With the 33rd pick in the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft, Geelong has selected Hunter Holmes from the Prahran Junior Football Club.
Holmes, chosen with the Cats’ second selection, will join his brother Max in the blue and white hoops from 2026 and beyond.
Holmes arrives with a strong athletic pedigree, sharing the explosive speed of Max and their mother, Commonwealth Games 400m relay gold medallist Lee Naylor. That pace has long been a defining feature of his game, and he blends it with enough endurance to impact both inside and outside the contest.
His running power makes the wing his most natural position, where Holmes is able to track up and down the line, peel into space and carry the ball with intent.
A standout for Melbourne Grammar, Holmes earned a spot on the Oakleigh Chargers list ahead of his draft year before impressing at Coates Talent League level and for Vic Metro.
In 2024 he was deployed across multiple roles, including extended wing time at the National Championships. His best performance came against the Allies where he collected 15 disposals, seven score involvements, two assists and a goal.
His speed remains a genuine weapon highlighted by his 2.895-second 20m sprint, the third-fastest time recorded at the Draft Combine.
Holmes joins fellow draftee, Harley Barker as Geelong's two selections in the National Draft.
