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Stewart will miss Saturday’s blockbuster with Brisbane under the AFL’s concussion protocol after going down in the first quarter of the Cats’ preliminary final win over Hawthorn.

Holmes was the hard luck story of Geelong’s 2022 premiership when he was ruled out of the Grand Final with a neural hamstring injury from the penultimate match.

Stewarts confided in his teammate ahead of training on Monday and Holmes revealed the emotional toll it had on him.

“We spoke about it today, (Stewart) asked me how I handled it and I said, ‘I cried a lot’,” Holmes said.

“People work through things in different ways, I don’t think I necessarily handled it as well as I possible could have but we’ve spoken a little bit.

“He’s a bit flat, he’s in high spirits around the boys but I know from experience it’s a brutal position to be in.”

The concussion to Stewart has poured heat on the AFL to shift the pre-finals bye ahead of the Grand Final.

Holmes said despite being a risk, he was fit to play the week of in 2022 and a pre Grand Final bye would have only helped selection case.

The now star midfielder has seen the numbers levelling out the top eight after the pre-finals bye was introduced and questions the reward of the top four.

“It’s a horrible, horrible thing see happen to him and it absolutely calls for a pre grand final bye this week but in terms of the team it does hurt structure a little bit,” he said.

“But as we saw, Zach Guthrie can step up to the plate and I think our backline has been amazing this finals series and most of this year, really.”

Stewart’s availability might not be an issue in the future should the AFL bow to growing demand to move the pre-finals bye to before the grand final, which would allow the best possible teams available.

It’s a move Holmes would support.

“I think with that bye, I have seen statistics – I don’t know how realistic it is – that the top four has been watered down since the pre-finals bye,” he said.

“Based on that statistic, if there was to be a bye it would make sense for it to be pre grand final because it’s a big part of the top four and if making the top four is watered down, how serious are we taking this?

“It is important for everyone to see the best players on the field … I know it’s hard for the AFL I don’t know what they can do in that week.

“I know other sports have done it and it’s a successful period … I’d be for a pre grand finals bye.”