Geelong champion Patrick Dangerfield believes young teammate Max Holmes could be “the best player in the competition” one day.
The 2016 Brownlow Medallist compared Holmes to a young Chris Judd.
Holmes played 18 games in 2022 after being selected with pick 20 in the 2020 National Draft.
The 20-year-old midfielder impressed as the season went on, playing on the wing in the Cats’ premiership campaign, though he missed the Grand Final with a hamstring injury.
Holmes was famously ruled out just hours before the Grand Final in heartbreaking scenes.
In an excerpt from the book The Greatest Team of All, the story of Geelong’s premiership season, published in The Adelaide Advertiser, Dangerfield spoke glowingly of his young teammate.
“There are (Chris) Judd-like traits,” Dangerfield said in the book.
“He has phenomenal endurance but also electric speed – it’s a rare combination.
“He hadn’t played all that much footy during his junior days and I think he’s just starting to find out how good he can be.
“We haven’t played him that much as an inside mid yet, but he can be a good stoppage player as well.
“I believe he could be the best player in the competition at some stage, he truly could be.”
While the comments may surprise many, Kane Cornes believes we should at least sit up and take notice whenever Geelong internally rates a player.
“My initial reaction was to fall off my chair, but I remember hearing Geelong people speak about Sam De Koning before De Koning broke out,” Cornes told SEN’s Sportsday.
“So I think you need to put some weight on what they’re saying.
“I don’t know if he’s going to be the best player in the competition, but still.”
Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy agrees, saying Dangerfield wouldn’t put a young teammate in the spotlight if he didn’t truly believe the comments.
“Even if he’s an All-Australian, being the best player in the competition is a transient thing for most players. They come and go. You might be there for only a year, but if you’re in the top 10 for a period of time, you’re a hell of a player,” Healy said.
“Dangerfield isn’t going to say that and put pressure on the kid unless he thinks he’s got some chance.”
Holmes was arguably best afield before injuring his hamstring in Geelong's demolition of Brisbane in the Preliminary Final, picking up 12 disposals, six score involvements and two goal assists in just 56 per cent time on ground.