In a tense Australian Football League clash that ended in a narrow defeat for Carlton at the hands of Collingwood on Thursday night, 22-year-old young talent Elijah Hollands emerged as an unexpected talking point after a match that left him struggling for any meaningful on-field impact, prompting public displays of disappointment and a supportive intervention from senior coach Michael Voss.
Hollands, who had earned 75% of game time through the first three quarters, failed to register a single disposals or statistical contribution for the entire match, a rare outcome for a player with that much on-field involvement. He was ultimately benched for the majority of the final quarter as Collingwood clawed back to secure the win over the Blues. Footage of Hollands drifting out of play and failing to impact contests circulated widely online on social media immediately after the final siren, amplifying scrutiny of his off-night.
Following the final whistle, Voss found a visibly distraught Hollands, who described the young midfielder as “shattered” and “pretty emotional” in post-game press comments. “I spoke to him after the game, he was really disappointed with how he started the game, really upset, he feels like he’s let me down,” Voss shared. The coach confirmed he held an extended supportive conversation with the young player, noting that Hollands carried strong disappointment over his inability to work his way into the flow of the high-stakes match.
Addressing the decision to bench Hollands in the final minutes of the game, Voss explained the tactical call was made to adjust the team’s on-field mix for the closing stretch. “It comes to the last quarter, you obviously have to work out what mix you want out on the field with five minutes to go. He wasn’t having a great night, so (we had) conversations with him, but we obviously thought the best mix was not have him out there,” Voss said.
Late drama unfolded after the siren when a review gave Carlton a last-gasp chance to force a draw, with fourth-year player Talor Byrne stepping up for the decisive kick that ultimately skewed wide. Voss emphasized that blame for the loss does not rest solely on the shoulders of young players like Hollands and Byrne, pointing to the team-first culture the club has built.
“It’s understanding it’s not all on the young man’s shoulders,” Voss said. “He’s probably rehearsed that 2000 times… he didn’t quite obviously get the job done but the boys rallied. You win together, you lose together.” The coach added that the club would continue to support Hollands through the tough moment, rejecting any concerns over the young player’s effort on the night, and confirming the program would stand by him as he works to bounce back from the off-night.