Former Carlton star Brendan Fevola has delivered an emotional plea for understanding after Elijah Hollands’ troubling appearance sparked widespread concern, urging the football world to rally behind the young midfielder.
Speaking on The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick, Fevola addressed the fallout from Thursday night’s match, where Hollands’ behaviour drew intense scrutiny from fans, commentators and rival players.
‘What happened to Elijah Hollands on Thursday night in front of 90,000 people and with Australia watching … he unravelled … it was erratic and unusual behaviour from a footy player in an elite sport. This is a really delicate situation,’ Fevola said.
Carlton later confirmed Hollands had experienced a mental health episode, with the club now reviewing how the situation was handled after he remained on the field for extended periods.
As debate intensifies around whether the midfielder should have played, Fevola shifted the focus firmly onto support and care, warning against public criticism.
‘From me to Elijah: mate, you need to get the support you need,’ he said.
Former Carlton bad boy Brendan Fevola has urged the AFL community to support Elijah Hollands
Carlton FC has come under fire for the handling of Thursday’s match against Collingwood where Hollands was spotted erratically before and during the match
‘Everyone, get out there and get around him. Media, get around him – don’t pot him about his mental health. His footy teammates need to get around him and his family and friends.’
Fevola, who endured well-documented personal struggles during his AFL career, drew on his own experiences to underline the seriousness of the situation.
‘We obviously don’t know what he’s going through. He clearly needs help and support, and I can relate to this.
‘As a young player, I was in rehab with mental issues. I relate. I got sacked in rehab, and losing your job in rehab … I had nothing to go out to. I lost all my coin, didn’t have a family at the time, and I was like, ‘Oh, I’m 29 and my whole world has blown up.’
The former forward said players can quickly feel like their identity is tied entirely to football, a mindset he believes Hollands could be grappling with now.
‘Footy is not everything and I’ve worked that out. He’d be thinking, ‘I’ve lost my career, I’ve lost footy.’ Footy is not the be-all and end-all of life. Hopefully, he can get the help he needs.’
The incident has also raised serious questions about Carlton’s handling of the situation, particularly how Hollands was allowed to take the field despite visible concerns.
‘That’s the million-dollar question. The supporters and people at the ground can see it… but the staff and the players didn’t see it,’ Fevola said.
Fevola battled his own mental health issues during his time with the Brisbane Lions
Fevola wants to see Hollands’ teammates rally around him and get him the help he needs
Drawing comparisons to his own playing days, Fevola recalled how teammates once intervened when they noticed alarming behaviour off the field, ensuring those involved received immediate support.
‘This happened when we played. We had two individuals that got on the drugs the night after the game … we were like, ‘What is going on with these blokes? These blokes are cooked!’ … there was some weird stuff going on, so we confronted them, took them to the coach, and then sat them in front of the leadership group and they got the help they needed.’
Fevola said the priority now should be removing pressure from Hollands while the club manages the situation internally.
‘This guy needs to go get some help. Everyone lay off him. Everyone wants the answers, but do we need them? Let’s just move on and Carlton need to deal with it.’
