Former Carlton player Elijah Hollands breaks his silence months after bizarre on-field episode left him in hospital

A former AFL star who stepped back from footy after suffering an on-field mental health episode has broken his silence on the incident.

Elijah Hollands, 23, has remained silent since he was admitted to hospital for four days following a match between his team, Carlton, and Collingwood in April.

He recorded just a single disposal while being on the field until the fourth quarter during the Round 6 match.

WorkSafe fined Carlton $75,000 in the aftermath of the match for not taking Hollands off the field sooner.

Hollands spoke publicly for the first time since the episode on Wednesday, sharing a photo of him and his teammate, and brother, Oliver Hollands on-field.

‘I have spent a long time trying to find the best way to deliver the emotions I’ve felt over this decision, but I don’t think it will ever be perfect, so here’s my best effort,’ Hollands wrote.

‘Football means an extreme amount to me. My dad played professional footy, my great-grandfather played professional footy, my brother plays professional footy – it is everything I have lived and breathed for as long as I can remember. 

‘I have only ever wanted to do one thing my entire life: copy what was done before me and play AFL footy. 

‘It was something that I just knew I was going to do when I was a kid and it was all I ever cared about – and now, unfortunately, that purpose I had is no longer.’

Hollands still loved AFL but said he’d realised there were other things in his life ‘far more important than footy’.  

He was drafted by the Gold Coast Suns in 2020 and played 14 games with the team across three years before requesting a move to Carlton.

His brother, Oliver, had played for the team since 2022.

Hollands was delisted from Carlton at the end of 2025 after playing 33 games across three season but won his spot back on the team during the 2026 pre-season. 

He admitted he’d hoped his AFL career would last longer but was ‘grateful’ for the time he had.

‘As an extremely confident 18-year-old, I certainly envisioned my career going a whole lot differently but I am okay with accepting that it just isn’t in the plans set for me,’ Hollands wrote.

‘I will cherish being able to share the stage with Ollie and I am so grateful to say that I have done what so many dream of: playing in front of 90,000 people at the MCG with my own brother. That is something very special to me.’

Hollands (above) said he was ‘grateful’ for his time with the AFL but said it was time for him to move onto the ‘next chapter’ of his life

Hollands said he was excited for the ‘next chapter’ of his life now he’s in ‘much greater shape’. 

‘I want to thank all the people who have supported me throughout my time in footy,’ he wrote.

‘With my challenges being so public, one thing I have noticed is that I have been backed by the greater AFL community, which I will be forever grateful for. 

‘I hope that kind of support can be shown more to both athletes and the people around each and every one of us.

‘I can’t wait to be able to support the great friends I’ve made in footy, and Ollie, from the other side of the fence.’