{"id":616250,"date":"2026-04-19T02:30:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T02:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/616250\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T02:30:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T02:30:16","slug":"collingwood-players-reportedly-suggesting-elijah-hollands-told-them-he-was-drinking-during-carlton-game-blues-ceo-graham-wright-comments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/616250\/","title":{"rendered":"Collingwood players reportedly suggesting Elijah Hollands told them he was drinking during Carlton game; Blues CEO Graham Wright comments"},"content":{"rendered":"

Veteran AFL<\/a> journalist Caroline Wilson reported on Saturday that Collingwood<\/a> players have claimed Elijah Hollands told them in their clash on Thursday night he had been drinking. <\/p>\n

That report has now been denied by Carlton<\/a> chief Graham Wright, who said they do not suspect the involvement of drugs or alcohol in his erratic behaviour, stating this remains a mental health challenge.<\/p>\n

The Carlton forward had one disposal for the night and was benched late in the game, as vision of erratic behaviour before and during the game emerged on social media.<\/p>\n

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\"Elijah<\/p>\n

Elijah Hollands on the field.\u00a0Twitter<\/p>\n

The Blues have since put out a statement declaring the situation a mental health episode.<\/p>\n

The 23-year-old has previously admitted to panic attacks during games, as well as battles with alcohol abuse and mental health problems in 2025.<\/p>\n

Speaking on Sunday morning, Wright ruled Hollands out of playing against Fremantle on Anzac Day, saying they are working through what has become a complex situation.<\/p>\n

“First and foremost, our focus is on Elijah and making sure he continues to receive the medical and wellbeing support he needs,” Wright said.<\/p>\n

“Elijah’s mental challenges have been well documented. Our staff has been working with him on this journey for a long time now both on and off the field, providing every resource possible to ensure his welfare is paramount.<\/p>\n

“Thursday night presented unprecedented and complex circumstances. We’re taking this very seriously and acknowledging this has raised valid questions that we are determined to understand.<\/p>\n

“Since the game, we have been working through a thorough process both leading into and throughout the match and remained in close consultation with the AFL and the AFLPA.<\/p>\n

“We are determined to ensure a considered process, not just an understanding of what happened, but to ensure key learnings come from this, not just for us but for the broader community.<\/p>\n

“While Elijah’s welfare is front of mind, he will not travel to Perth this week with the team for the weekend’s game and we will work closely with Elijah on what’s next for him.”<\/p>\n

\"Carlton<\/p>\n

Carlton coach Michael Voss with Elijah Hollands after the loss to Collingwood.\u00a0AFL Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Wilson however said on Saturday that Magpies players have made claims suggesting Hollands told them he had been drinking, and potentially smelled of alcohol during the game.<\/p>\n

“There is the suggestion, that is coming from Collingwood players … that Elijah Hollands was telling some Collingwood players that he had been drinking,” Wilson told 3AW on Saturday.<\/p>\n

When asked to clarify if she meant Magpies players were told by Hollands that he was drinking, or suggesting they could smell alcohol on him, Wilson said “both”, adding “neither can be confirmed by me”.<\/p>\n

“I can’t prove that there was alcohol involved, but it’s coming strongly from Collingwood players that there was. I only mention it now because no one at Carlton has shut it down,” Wilson said.<\/p>\n

The Blues boss responded to those comments, saying nobody from the AFL or Collingwood has put that suggestion to him.<\/p>\n

“I’ve heard the conjecture around that yesterday. At this stage, we don’t suspect (drugs or alcohol). We’re dealing with a mental health issue at the moment,” Wright said.<\/p>\n

“We’re in the process of going through all the circumstances leading up to the game and working through what happened during the game and post game.<\/p>\n

“I heard that report yesterday and I haven’t heard anything from Collingwood or the AFL. No one has come to us with anything of that nature.”<\/p>\n

\"Carlton<\/p>\n

Carlton CEO Graham Wright discusses Elijah Hollands.\u00a0Nine<\/p>\n

Wright was also asked for an update on Hollands’ wellbeing, following the circumstances of Thursday night.<\/p>\n

“He’s OK. I had some contact with him yesterday. He’s getting great support, but he’s with his dad and family and getting support through his dad and family and our medical staff and the AFL’s medical staff,” Wright said.<\/p>\n

The long-time football executive said the club was aware that Hollands was struggling throughout the game, as he played out the first three quarters with just one disposal.<\/p>\n

“We were aware that he was struggling in the game and we are aware he has had anxiety previously and panic attacks and our guys were dealing with him in game and obviously he was having some problems,” he said.<\/p>\n

Having revealed that, Wright was asked if the club could have pulled Hollands from the game sooner than during the fourth quarter and whether they should have made a decision before the game.<\/p>\n

“I think everyone’s got the right to ask those questions. We’re asking those questions of ourselves to find a better solution for what happened in that game,” he said.<\/p>\n

\"MELBOURNE,<\/p>\n

Elijah Hollands tackled by Tim Membrey.\u00a0AFL Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Carlton president Rob Preistly also penned a letter to members on Sunday, reiterating the club’s support for Hollands.<\/p>\n

“I know Elijah Hollands has been front of mind for so many of us connected to the football club,” the statement read.<\/p>\n

“Elijah’s welfare is what matters most right now, and please be assured that remains our focus.<\/p>\n

“Since the game, the board has been working closely with the CEO and Graham Wright and general manager of football Chris Davies to obtain a thorough account of the circumstances both leading into and throughout the match.<\/p>\n

“The club has been in regular consultation with the AFL and AFLPA and will continue to do so as facts are gathered in a supporting and respectful setting, and we are confident that valuable learnings will come from this process.<\/p>\n

“The health and wellbeing of our players if the utmost importance and many of our club have been supporting Elijah on and off the field for a long period of time, and support continues. I think respect, I join others in asking that Elijah’s privacy be respected at this time.”<\/p>\n

Wide World of Sports contacted Carlton for comment on Wilson’s reported allegations from Collingwood players.<\/p>\n

The Blues said their focus remains on Hollands’ wellbeing, adding they wouldn’t be responding to media reports on the situation. <\/p>\n

Wilson’s allegations were put to Collingwood star forward Beau McCreery on the Sunday Footy Show, but said he wasn’t aware of the situation during the game.<\/p>\n

\"Collingwood<\/p>\n

Collingwood forward Beau McCreery on the Sunday Footy Show.\u00a0Nine<\/p>\n

“In game I didn’t really realise. I didn’t notice anything. I was up the other end of the ground most of the game,” McCreery said.<\/p>\n

“I’ve seen a fair bit of footage after the game. It’s obviously concerning for such a young lad who has been through a lot. It’s very concerning for the whole football world and the best thing will be for Carlton to wrap their arms around him.<\/p>\n

“It was obviously worrying to see someone running around like that. I think the best thing to do is for everyone to put their arms around him and hopefully he’s alright.”<\/p>\n

The AFL released a statement on the developing situation on Saturday evening.<\/p>\n

“The health and wellbeing of every player is the AFL’s highest priority,” the statement read.<\/p>\n

“The AFL has today requested Carlton to, once concluded, provide the outcome of its review of the circumstances relating to Elijah Hollands’ fitness to play in Thursday night’s match.<\/p>\n

“The AFL will continue to make inquiries with the club in relation to the matter.”<\/p>\n

Speaking earlier on Sunday, Geelong champion Jimmy Bartel expressed his own concern for the developing situation.<\/p>\n

“My first thought is concern. Being a father of young kids, you start to take the perspective of if that was your son out there, you would be incredibly concerned and worried,” Bartel told Nine’s WWOS.<\/p>\n

“We all knew something wasn’t quite right. It was beyond ‘oh, what’s that person doing’. There was something seriously wrong.<\/p>\n

“I think it’s pretty fair of the AFL to ask questions of Carlton. You’re surrounded by so many coaches and medical staff and football department staff, there’s an ARC upstairs, how did nobody pick up that he wasn’t quite right and look after the kid?<\/p>\n

“I think that’s where we need to get some answers. The next step is what’s the plan moving forward. It’s bigger than football. Let’s get the health right and get some answers from pointed questions that need to be asked.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson reported on Saturday that Collingwood players have claimed Elijah Hollands told them in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":616251,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[638,64,63,55,639,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-616250","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-afl","8":"tag-afl","9":"tag-au","10":"tag-australia","11":"tag-australian-football-league","12":"tag-australianfootballleague","13":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/616250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=616250"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/616250\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/616251"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=616250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=616250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=616250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}