Carlton coach Michael Voss has opened up about the decision to withdraw Ollie Hollands from Saturday night’s 14-point loss to Fremantle, saying it was the right call after a tough week.
The Blues entered the match firmly in the AFL’s spotlight on the back of Elijah Hollands’ mental health episode during the five-point loss to Collingwood a week earlier.
Carlton have submitted a report to the AFL about the incident, with Victorian workplace safety watchdog WorkSafe also asking questions about it.
It remains to be seen whether the Blues will be punished for allowing a player to take to the field and stay on for a significant part of the match despite displaying unusual behaviour both before and during the game.
Hollands’ younger brother Ollie flew to Perth and was due to take on Fremantle, but he was withdrawn just hours before the match despite wanting to play.
Voss explained his reasoning after the 16.7 (103) to 13.11 (89) loss, which left Carlton nursing a 1-6 record.
“It’s been a big week for everyone, and a big week for the family,” Voss said.
“He wanted to play. He’s an absolute competitor, and we just sort of felt like with how the week’s played out, it’d be better to maybe sit this one out.
“He’s in a good space. But we sort of obviously felt like it was probably the better way to go.”
Voss expects Ollie Hollands to return for next Saturday’s clash with St Kilda, saying the trip to Perth was a good way for him to be looked after by the Carlton community.
But a timeline on Elijah Hollands could still be some way away.
Last year, Elijah Hollands twice took personal leave from Carlton, later revealing he had been battling mental ill-health and issues with alcohol.
Voss and the Blues have copped plenty of heat following Elijah’s erratic appearance against the Magpies, and the trip to Perth represented a welcome reprieve.
“We’ve tried to really enjoy each other’s company,” Voss said.
“We’ve tried to put some humour into the back end of the week, and keep it pretty light rather than dark.”
The Blues showed plenty of fight against Fremantle.
They almost snatched the lead midway through the third quarter, and when Fremantle skipped to a 41-point lead in the last, Carlton kicked five of the last six goals of the match to significantly reduce the final margin.
Voss felt it was an important step forward.
“If we sort of just step back from this game as well, and we think about what’s transpired throughout the week, this was a really important game for us to get a response,” Voss said.
“It’s fine to talk about what we stand for as a football club, but at the end of the day, when we walk on that grass, how we conduct ourselves is very, very important.
“And every time we were challenged, we responded.”
Spearhead Harry McKay (concussion) is expected to return against St Kilda, but ruckman Marc Pittonet (hand) faces a race against time to prove his fitness.
