'Garry deserved to play. He would have been unbelievable'
Yet part of him also felt sorry for Garry Ringrose.
The Irish centre had been picked to start at number 13 for the Lions in the second Test last week, but he then had to pull out after feeling symptoms of concussion at their final training session on Thursday.
So Jones had experienced the dejection of being dropped from the Lions' matchday 23 after the first Test, only to get good news soon after.
'It's obviously the initial disappointment of not being in the squad on the Tuesday, just internally,' said Scotland centre Jones.
'I had a chat with Faz, I was gutted. I got over that and was ready to get behind the boys.
'And then on Thursday, we trained and Garry to be fair to him said his head just wasn't right. I think he may have got a knock in the session and went to the doctor. That's brave.
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Ringrose, Huw Jones, and Bundee Aki. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
'I went and chatted to him afterwards and he was emotional. It's one of those, you think 'I'll be alright, I'll be alright.' But if it's bad, it's bad.
'I was gutted for him, because he deserved to play and I know he would have been unbelievable today.
'That's rugby, that's sport sometimes. So I got a nod after that session. I was ready to step in and luckily, I'd run some of the plays on Tuesday, so I was ready to go and got the job done today.'
Jones had huge respect for Ringrose's decision.
'I had no idea that he was struggling, but like people have said, it's just a game,' said Jones.
'Your head's very important, you only get one brain and all that. If he's felt the need to say that he was struggling, then fair play to him. I just hope that he gets over it very quickly.'
Jones is now hoping to see out the series at outside centre.
But whatever happens next, he will always cherish the memories of the MCG.
Ringrose with Andy Farrell. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
'I don't really know what to say to be honest, but it's an amazing feeling,' said Jones of of clinching the series.
'What a game. Unbelievable. We made it hard for ourselves, ill discipline and all that, came back at the end and Barry [Hugo Keenan], what a finish. It's a good feeling.
'We knew it would be more than last week in terms of their intensity, just the game as a whole, the occasion, and we talked about it all week. I felt probably right at the beginning we were there and then we were our sort of worst enemy for a time, but I don't think we ever sort of… it's a cliché, but I don't think we ever stopped believing, even at half time.
'Even if we'd been further down, we still had that belief that we'd go on and win that. The bench that came on added so much energy. There were a few scrum penalties, the halfbacks had us playing in the right areas.
'It was just down to good rugby and Hugo finishing at the end.'
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