{"id":613045,"date":"2026-04-17T14:09:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T14:09:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/613045\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T14:09:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T14:09:14","slug":"carlton-footballer-elijah-hollands-afl-career-in-doubt-as-probe-into-concerning-game-begins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/613045\/","title":{"rendered":"Carlton footballer Elijah Hollands\u2019 AFL career in doubt as probe into concerning game begins"},"content":{"rendered":"

More alarming fan vision of Carlton\u2019s<\/a> Elijah Hollands continues to surface on social media as the AFL Players\u2019 Association begins its probe into the concerning situation that unfolded during Thursday\u2019s night game<\/a>.<\/p>\n

7Sport expert Tom Morris has revealed that the Players\u2019 Association has already had a \u201cbrief discussion\u201d with the AFL<\/a> about Hollands, and more in-depth chats with the league and Carlton are about to follow.<\/p>\n

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Elijah Hollands struggles as Carlton monitors wellbeing concerns<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

Hollands displayed erratic behaviour throughout the match and barely touched the ball. He was eventually awarded a possession by Champion Data in retrospect for an ineffective kick in the third term.<\/p>\n

He played 75 per cent of the game across the first three quarters before the 23-year-old was taken off the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are concerned with what played out and how it got to that point,\u201d Morris said.<\/p>\n

\"ElijahElijah Hollands looked out of sorts during the game. Credit: Supplied<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main priority for the PA, AFL, Blues and Hollands\u2019 management is his welfare.\u201d<\/p>\n

The AFL is also asking questions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are having on-going discussions with Carlton and also ensuring Elijah has the relevant support,\u201d league spokesperson Jay Allen said.<\/p>\n

Carlton released a statement late on Friday afternoon, saying Hollands \u201csuffered a mental health episode\u201d and they are continuing to provide close and ongoing care.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 23-year-old is continuing to receive the appropriate level of medical and wellbeing support, with Hollands\u2019 welfare remaining the number one priority,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe club also remains in contact with the AFL and the AFLPA, given the complicated nature of what occurred on Thursday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the club acknowledges the public interest, it asks that Hollands\u2019 privacy be respected, with the primary focus on ensuring he receives the level of care he needs, before a further update can be provided at an appropriate time.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the industry wraps its arms arounds Hollands, it is hard to see him playing at AFL level in the immediate future.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, more fan vison has emerged with Hollands seemingly not right from the very start of the match.<\/p>\n

During the warm-up on the ground, fan vision appeared to show him attempting a kick on goal, with one effort barely travelling 20 metres and missing the target by a long way.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m finding it really difficult to understand how Carlton allowed this player to play,\u201d the fan, who shared that vision, said.<\/p>\n

7NEWS.com.au has chosen not to show this latest vision.<\/p>\n

Play Video<\/p>\n

Elijah Hollands recorded one disposal despite 60% game time in a concerning performance that has become one of the night’s biggest talking points.<\/p>\n

Elijah Hollands recorded one disposal despite 60% game time in a concerning performance that has become one of the night’s biggest talking points.<\/p>\n

In 2023, Hollands pleaded guilty to cocaine possession and was handed a two-match ban by the AFL for breaching the league\u2019s illicit drugs policy.<\/p>\n

After a review of the Hollands\u2019 situation on Thursday night, Carlton are insisting his performance was affected by a mental-health episode and did not have anything to do with the influence of drugs.<\/p>\n

7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary kept a close eye on Hollands during the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cElijah Hollands will become a story out of this game,\u201d Cleary said on Thursday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI watched him closely in the second half. He was displaying some erratic movements, didn\u2019t look like himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s obviously had a very difficult last 18 months with some personal issues, had to fight for his spot on the Carlton list.<\/p>\n

\u201cI spoke to a few people in the rooms, they said they were monitoring his heart rate in the second half, and that he had trouble sleeping last night.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is something we\u2019ll continue to follow over the next couple of days. He was in a pretty bad way post-match.\u201d<\/p>\n

AFL great Nick Riewoldt said Hollands did not look himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can understand the concern within the Carlton rooms,\u201d Riewoldt said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny time there\u2019s a narrative like that around a player, the first port of call as a football club is to wrap your arms around them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure there\u2019ll be more come out of the Carlton Football Club in the next 24 hours. But you can understand the concern.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last year, Hollands twice took personal leave from Carlton, later revealing he had been battling mental ill-health and issues with alcohol.<\/p>\n

The former Gold Coast player was delisted by the Blues at the end of last season, despite having a year to run on his contract.<\/p>\n

But Hollands was invited to Carlton training over summer, impressing enough to win his spot back on the list.<\/p>\n

He has played all six games this season, averaging 18.4 possessions before the concerning output against the Magpies.<\/p>\n

Hollands, the No.7 pick from the 2020 national draft, played just 14 games for Gold Coast before joining his younger brother Ollie at the Blues for the 2024 season.<\/p>\n

– With AAP<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Fan-filmed footage sparks concern for Elijah Hollands\u2019 welfare<\/p>\n

3 min read<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

AFL world in awe of Scott Pendlebury\u2019s post-game gesture<\/p>\n

3 min read<\/p>\n

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