With the 2021 draft now done and dusted, it seems fitting that we venture back and look at our first draft pick from 2020, Max Holmes.
Holmes was taken with pick 20 last year in an exchange with Richmond and the speedy youngster didn’t disappoint in his first season.
The 19-year-old made a seamless transition into senior footy, starting his first year with back-to-back best on ground performances in VFL practice matches.
It was only a matter of time before he made his AFL debut and in the lead up to the Round 3 Easter Monday clash with Hawthorn, Holmes received the phone call from Chris Scott.
In his first game Holmes seemed comfortable, casually collecting 16 disposals in an impressive contribution at the MCG in front of 50,000 fans.
From there, Holmes played a total of 12 games for the season, nine of those where he took to the field and three where he was used as the team’s sub.
Towards the end of the year Holmes was able to string together a number of games playing in eight of the team’s last 11 matches, including two of the team’s three finals appearances.
He was rewarded for his impressive first season when he was named Best First Year Player at the Carji Greeves Medal.
Season Averages
Disposals: 9.8 (30th at Geelong)
Kicks: 4.5 (33rd at Geelong)
Ground Ball Gets: 4.2 (10th at Geelong)
Tackles: 2.7 (12th at Geelong)
Pressure Acts: 12.6 (12th at Geelong)
Tackles I50: 0.7 (9th at Geelong)
Clearances: 1.4 (14th at Geelong)
Intercepts: 1.4 (23rd at Geelong)
Standout Moment
Having kicked two behinds in the first three quarters of the Round 17 match against Carlton, you got the feeling that Holmes’ first goal was just around the corner.
And around the corner is how it eventuated, when Holmes finally snapped his first six-pointer in the 23rd minute of the fourth quarter.
As so often happens in footy, luck played a part when the ball spat out of the contest and into the path of Holmes in the forward pocket.
Holmes collected the ground ball, used his speed to break away from his opponent, and snapped the goal on his right boot.
Stats File
Holmes was recalled into the team for the semi final against GWS and when the pressure was on, Holmes was applying that pressure.
The youngster recorded 22 pressure acts and eight tackles, a career high and equal game high number of tackles.
Only six Cats recorded eight or more tackles in a game this season, with Holmes being one of them.
Game-Breaking Performance
Holmes’ best game of the season came in one of the team’s worst defeats of the season, the heartbreaking loss to Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium in Round 23.
Though the result wasn’t great for Cats fans, they would have been pleased to see their first draft pick of 2020 collecting a career high disposals.
Holmes finished the game with 18 disposals, five clearances and nine ground ball gets, his best stat tally for the year.
