Michael Oates will play for Rand-Walbundrie-Walla next season after leaving Holbrook.
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The former Lavington defender reached the Hume League grand final in each of his two seasons with the Brookers, helping Matt Sharp's side to premiership glory in 2022.
But Oates, 23, will play against Holbrook in 2024 having opted to reunite with Sam Herzich and Matt Robertson under co-coaches Daniel Athanitis and Jack Duck.
"Most of my close mates are at the Giants at the moment so I missed being around them," Oates said.
"It was a tough decision to make, especially when you win a premiership, to leave that team to go to another team in the Hume League, but I'm happy with the decision I've made.
"What Daniel and Jack have got going at the moment is pretty good.
"They're quite a young side and they're building confidence every time they get the chance.
"I think they're heading in the right direction."
The Giants reached their first preliminary final since 2014 this year, knocking out CDHBU and Brock-Burrum before eventually falling to Holbrook by 25 points.
Oates didn't play because of a hamstring injury.
"I was running water out in the sun and it was hot and competitive all day," he said.
"That's great for a team like the Giants to experience that sort of game and to build momentum and see what it's all about.
"You learn from finals footy, where you need to be and what you need to do to take the next step.
"The year we won it, last year, it was a big step to make to get to the grand final.
"Osborne are such a good team and to knock them off, it was a good feeling, but you need to work your way into it and be right for that team of year."
Oates was ever-present throughout the home-and-away season but was sidelined coming into September.
"We had a strong year but I did my hammy the week before the first final against Osborne," he explained.
"That was disheartening, to go through the whole year and not get to play a final.
"You go through the whole season to get to that part of the year and to get there and not really be a part of it as much in the game side of things, to try to get yourself right, to give yourself a crack at playing in the finals, it was definitely hard.
"I had to not do the selfish thing and put myself in when I wasn't ready.
"I got back before the grannie but did it again just before half-time so that was hard not to be able to finish the game.
"I honestly felt completely fine going into the game.
"I'd been testing it, the weeks before, and that week I trained the whole week and it was completely fine.
"I had no dramas but it's hard when you go into a game, especially a grand final, because it's a bit more intense, repeat efforts to get it done, and unfortunately I just didn't hold up."
Oates played 38 matches for Holbrook after stepping away from Lavington, where he played 11 games of senior Ovens and Murray football and 45 in reserves following his junior career.
"I enjoy the Hume League," Oates said.
"I think it's a great competition and every year I've been playing, it gets stronger.
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"It's unreal getting to play with blokes like Raven Jolliffe in that league.
"I'm looking forward to helping the young fellas at the Giants learn a bit more about the game.
"Having that experience at other levels, you bring that to training and you help blokes out and tell them what they need to do and give them your advice.
"But Daniel and Jack are pretty well all over it and they know what the boys need to do to get the best out of them."
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