“It’s all setting in now,” Valentine Holmes remarked as he roamed through The Spirit of the Red V Museum.
He has worn a variety of kits through his illustrious career.
The Kangaroos, Maroons, Sharks, Cowboys and even the New York Jets.
But the 29-year-old still took a moment upon donning the Red V for the first time.
“There’s a lot of success here,” he said.
“I’ve always heard about the success the club has had in the past but to be down here and to actually see it with my own eyes, it’s pretty special… I want to try and bring a bit of that success back. We’re looking forward to it, and hopefully we can do something really special at the end of the year.”
Making the move from Townsville, his hometown, back down to Sydney was a decision that he and his family didn’t take lightly but the draw of reuniting with former mentor Shane Flanagan eased the veteran’s mind.
“I just felt like the Dragons were best suited for me. Flano, as well,” he said.
“Last year, they probably didn’t finish the way they wanted, but you can obviously see it in the way they have been playing… With the young, exciting guys coming through, I think it’s going to be a good mix and hopefully we’ll start playing well and get some wins.”
Having spent a half-decade on the other side of the Dragons-Sharks rivalry, Holmes has developed some understanding of how the Red V faithful operate but is excited to make a proper introduction come 2025.
“Now that I’m in the Red V, I know they’re very passionate,” he laughed.
“I’m really excited just to get to know everyone, meet all the fans, get into the training days with all the boys, all the staff. Hopefully we can put some good performances together and make the fans happy.”
There is little left to achieve for Holmes whose athletic exploits have seen him feature in World Cup Finals in Manchester, State of Origins in Melbourne, and NFL preseason clashes in New Jersey.
But even with a pair of World Cup titles, 203 NRL games, 108 NRL tries, 21 Tests and 19 Origins to his name, Holmes insists that his competitive drive has been hardly satiated as he enters a new chapter in his career.
“The main goal is to lift that trophy up at the end of the year, but there’s a lot of steps to get there throughout the year,” he said.
“I just want to help the younger fellas with their development coming through. I bring a bit of experience myself having been at a few clubs now and playing in some big games. I’ve played in finals; I’ve played at rep level. I just want to try and share my experience and what I’ve done in the past.”
