A Controversial Performance and Calls for Accountability
North Melbourne champion David King has raised concerns about the decision to allow Carlton’s Elijah Hollands to play in a recent match against Collingwood. King expressed confusion over why the club let Hollands take the field, especially given his poor performance.
Hollands, who is 23 years old, managed only one disposal during the game, which ended with Collingwood winning 13.10 (88) to 12.11 (83). He was benched late in the match, which many believe was a result of his lack of contribution on the field.
Carlton coach Michael Voss commented on Hollands’ performance after the game, stating that he was “pretty shattered” and “emotional” about how he played. Voss mentioned that Hollands was disappointed with his start and felt like he had let the team down.
- Voss said:
“I spoke to him after the game and he was really disappointed with how he started the game, really upset, sort of feels like he’s let me down.”
“He was clearly really disappointed in his performance and obviously really important to the night.”
“He sort of feels like he’s let people down but we’ve got to keep supporting people through those situations.”
Hollands was delisted by Carlton at the end of the 2025 season. However, he revealed later that year that he was battling anxiety, mental health issues, and alcohol abuse problems. Despite this, he earned his spot back over the summer and started the season in strong form, even though the club struggled.
King criticized the coaching staff for not pulling Hollands from the game sooner, given the clear issues he was facing. He emphasized the importance of supporting players dealing with mental health challenges.
- King said:
“Can we separate the two issues? We’ve got to support the kid. He’s clearly in a bad place…”
“From a football point of view, the responsibility of the senior coach to see this problem in real time… alarms me.”
“I can’t understand how so many people at the venue can see that this young man is not contributing to the game…”
Senior AFL journalist Sam Edmund believes Carlton will need to make a public statement to address the situation. He noted that the official line from the club is that Hollands had an off night, and that he was emotional in the rooms after the game.
- Edmund added:
“His interaction with his teammates in-game, some of them just walked off on him. Even the warm-up didn’t look right.”
“But they wouldn’t have put him out there if he wasn’t right to go, surely.”
“Even the interaction with the Collingwood players, they knew something was up as well.”
Reports suggest that Carlton officials were in the rooms with Hollands well past midnight, planning next steps for him. The AFL Player’s Association has also raised concerns about what was seen last night, how he was allowed to play, and are worried about the player’s ongoing welfare.
Voss confirmed that the decision to pull Hollands from the game came in the final five minutes. He explained that Hollands was disappointed with himself and his performance.
- Voss said:
“When it comes to the last quarter, you’ve obviously got to work out what mix you’ve got with five minutes to go about what you want on the field, and he wasn’t having a great night.”
“Constant conversations with him, and we obviously thought the best mix was to not have him out there.”
Hollands began his AFL career on the Gold Coast, where he was selected with pick seven in the 2020 draft. He has played 33 games with Carlton since being traded to the Blues after the 2023 season.
