Autopsy 2026 Rd 6 Collapse. Copy. Paste.

[KnobHead]

We gave someone an opportunity and another chance. Not a kid. He has let us down and betrayed the club. Unless you have someone who is going to mind him 24/7 there is nothing the club can do to stop him. IMO he's done.

Like your posts gbatman and know you put a lot of effort in, but can’t agree with this.

Yes the club gave him a second chance, in full knowledge of his mental health which the whole AFL community was aware of it. Club has a legal responsibility for his safety. If that meant EJ needed 24/7 attention, club should’ve factored that in before he was put back in the list.

This falls on the club, hence the AFL is investigating.

As some others suggested, maybe he could’ve played VFL for a year to see how he goes. Or we could be prepared for him to only play a limited number of games, apparently he’s been struggling for a couple of weeks now and we still selected him to play against Collingwood in front of 78000

 

[bigblueboy]

It’s worth watching the Collingwood players during the presentations after the match - Houston, Howe, Cameron … about 3hr 31 mins

 

[Sucker for Trade Period]

It’s worth watching the Collingwood players during the presentations after the match - Houston, Howe, Cameron … about 3hr 31 mins

Caro's angle makes even more sense after viewing that.

Houston's account especially is pretty damning

 

[GoGoGoCharlie]

Alcoholics and drug addicts develop the ability to hide their intoxication quite well. To a point. I don't know Hollands but if he is someone who has a personality like this where they can be up and down, inconsistent and hard to judge. People could have put this down to him behaving differently but that just being a part of him being him.

We don't know exactly what has gone down and what has been noticed and what hasn't.

If those who have the authority to pull a player were aware he was substance affected and still played him, then they are in a world of trouble.

The other issue is that our people like all at AFL clubs aren't overly experienced in dealing with and recognising players who are substance affected. They have a laser like focus on their job and everything going on on match day. I am going to put it out there and say none of them have come across this before.

I am a former footy coach who sent a guy out who was on ice. I didn't know he was on ice, I knew he was "edgy". It was only during the game where he began to fail to control his aggression, which he has when sobre, that it became evident that this wasn't "just him" and there was more going on here. It's hard to tell with addict types because they are so inconsistent with their behavior. I emphasise with the club here because of this.

The club put a lot of trust and faith in Hollands by listing him, picking him and treating him like everyone else in the team. Maybe we were wrong to do so and needed to test him before every game and training? But I don't agree with this as trust goes both ways.

It depends on the previous history of what what the coaches and other players have seen from him in the past. Mental health problems are hard to understand, very confronting, and sometimes it can look like a predictable pattern is repeating itself and make people see he is having an episode but will probably snap out of it quickly and suddenly, same way as previously.

I know nothing about what really happened. Just guessing from experience. Maybe he got snapped out of previous episodes by just being sent out to play and they thought it would happen again if they sent him out again? Both for the start of the game and at times during the game off the bench.

I had an ex partner who had a few episodes. Saw her go loopy and then have a sleep and instantly snap out of it and back to being nice and fairly normal again. Thought I could predict it eventually until one time when she got stuck in the loop for days and ended up going out of the house when I eventually fell asleep after being kept awake for days and she couldn't wake me up. So she went driving erratic on wrong side of the road and got stopped by police and handcuffed and put in ambulance to this god awful lock up mental health ward and I got woken by the police banging on the door and yelling at me.

How could I do this just letting her find her own way out of the episodes and just make sure she stays in the house until she sleeps as the main antidote strategy? What sort of terrible person am I? Why didn't I call the ambulance and get her handcuffed and locked up many times over at the first sign of an episode?

It was because the correct action was going to be absolutely hell for her getting locked up like that and several other times she had snapped out of it with no harm done so probably that would happen again if I could outlast the episode and keep her safe inside until she eventually slept it off. It was more scary getting her locked up and handcuffed and forcibly drugged than it was to just endure for a few hours or a day or so and convince her to stay inside and eventually get some sleep and snap out of it.

Maybe this footy player was snapping out of previous episodes when he got sent into a big game and big crowd? Maybe that seemed more in his best interest and better way of looking after him compared to the alternative? Yes the right thing to do is get professional help but it can be the final step off the top of the tall building as far as his life goes. Once he is officially into serious mental health ward situation that is probably the end of the life he has got now and the start of a much less pleasant life for eternity.

It's a big step to say yes this person is beyond snapping out of this now and needs the proper help and to be put through hell in order to be cured better but probably never cured fully. And to officially end this fantastic life phase of fame and fortune that he could maybe keep having if he just snapped out of it again like with previous episodes.

He didn't seem in control of himself when he was in la la land. Getting intervention while the victim is in that state is a very big step and much more unpleasant than just going to a psychologist or counselling after snapping back out of it. If you care about the person sometimes the wrong action can seem like the better action to protect the person from losing the life they have got now, and forcing them into very awful mental health treatment process which is really needed but horrible to be put through.

Plus the true proper correct action if he didn't want the medical help and tended to be irrational fearful of previous suggestions to get help, was probably to get the ambulance out onto the MCG in front of 80k people and handcuff him and forcibly drug him and get him locked up in the mental health ward. It's not always as simple and easy as outside people would think to just get proper help for someone who is seriously off with the fairies like this.

Definitely at that moment while they are actually off with the fairies they usually don't want help and will very likely resist help and make a big scene if it gets forced on them. It would take a lot of composure and mental strength to force someone close to you to be put through this type of treatment especially if it's public in front of so many people.

And be knowing you are probably responsible for ending what might be a fantastic phase of his life permanently by doing so.
I know I wasn't strong enough for this and that was without the 80k people watching. I can't say the club people were awful or weak without knowing the whole story that nobody will ever know apart from them. Because the real personal details have to be kept private. Club people might have been negligent, or might have cared too much about him, or might have been scared and confused and a bit irrational.

Who knows? Mental health episodes are awful for everyone connected with it when people go off with the fairies like this.

 

[Blue_Fusion]

The player was sent off and that was their last game for the club.

You didn't put them back out there for 9 minutes in the last quarter?

 

[Bamboo Harvester]

I think it could be a mental health issue, can’t believe the club, coaches, players would allow him to play under the influence of alcohol (or drugs) if it was obvious…

My thoughts are that he should have been replaced before the game or at the very least after the warmup on the ground, when he was looking uncoordinated and off when kicking and in general…

It’s just hard to believe it wasn’t picked up by anyone from the club, hope it’s cleared of any incompetence…

Which is unbelievable in itself given it was reported that he was being monitored by the medico's during the week leading up to the game.

So WTF was monitoring his condition pre-game and during the game? AND who actually signed off that he was fit to play in the first place given there were warning signs leading in? And why wasn't it until the 9 minute mark of the final quarter before the giant hook finally appeared?

I honestly want to see Chris Davies' shining head adorning the TV screens this week giving some answers...this bloke needs to start earning his pay, cos right now I have little faith in him running a football department. 6 weeks into the season and it's a ****ing shambles.

 

[myblueroan]

Like your posts gbatman and know you put a lot of effort in, but can’t agree with this.

Yes the club gave him a second chance, in full knowledge of his mental health which the whole AFL community was aware of it. Club has a legal responsibility for his safety. If that meant EJ needed 24/7 attention, club should’ve factored that in before he was put back in the list.

This falls on the club, hence the AFL is investigating.

As some others suggested, maybe he could’ve played VFL for a year to see how he goes. Or we could be prepared for him to only play a limited number of games, apparently he’s been struggling for a couple of weeks now and we still selected him to play against Collingwood in front of 78000

I think unless you or a loved one has direct experience of mental health stuff, it's easy to get bewildered by it, and or angry. Even then, maybe it's hard to accept and find compassion for. Not only is it hellish, but can be such a lonely place. We have to trust that Lij has at least one person who can connect with and build trust with him.
I just hope he has someone with him 24/7 right now. Give him a soft place to fall.

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

It’s worth watching the Collingwood players during the presentations after the match - Houston, Howe, Cameron … about 3hr 31 mins

It’s not a great look, but it’s hardly definitive or compelling evidence.

If this were in court, you’d be calling in body language and lip-reading experts to test and reinterpret what’s actually being said.

“Elijah looks cooked” could just as easily be “Elijah looks good.”

 

[Opium]

It’s not a great look, but it’s hardly definitive or compelling evidence.

If this were in court, you’d be calling in body language and lip-reading experts to test and reinterpret what’s actually being said.

“Elijah looks cooked” could just as easily be “Elijah looks good.”

Perhaps not concrete evidence. But you can read between the lines. We both know they're NOT saying Elijah looks good.

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

Perhaps not concrete evidence. But you can read between the lines. We both know they're NOT saying Elijah looks good.

Agree, especially given we don’t even know for certain they are talking about Elijah.

 

[ESKIE]

It’s not a great look, but it’s hardly definitive or compelling evidence.

If this were in court, you’d be calling in body language and lip-reading experts to test and reinterpret what’s actually being said.

“Elijah looks cooked” could just as easily be “Elijah looks good.”

Exactly, or ‘looks like he’s drunk’ could easily be ‘reckon he’s drunk’ etc

 

[RPCB]

And there in lies the problem with amateur lip reading videos.

“It’s looks fairly accurate, but some words are wrong”, “Maybe he said “good” instead of “cooked”, “I doubt these players would be concerned and then use a word like “scum” to describe Elijah Hollands… so it’s accurate outside of that.”

Watch the presentation on Kayo and no one can tell what the players are saying.

 

[BlueLocke]

Sorry for another Hollands post but… to be honest… this looks like a completely normal interaction. The other players don’t seem too concerned either.

 

[bigblueboy]

It’s not a great look, but it’s hardly definitive or compelling evidence.

If this were in court, you’d be calling in body language and lip-reading experts to test and reinterpret what’s actually being said.

“Elijah looks cooked” could just as easily be “Elijah looks good.”

I’m not saying it would stand up in court - but surely it piques enough interest for questions to be asked of those players as to what they observed/heard/saw.

 

[JJBagger]

Sorry for another Hollands post but… to be honest… this looks like a completely normal interaction. The other players don’t seem too concerned either.

If I was shown this without the context of what’s happened since, I would assume that was a regular interaction with Elijah

 

[teddy-hopkins]

I just don't know what the point of the blame game is. Lij's career is pretty much done at this point and Carlton will go through the motions of reviewing what went on... and might end up with a fine or something but really it was a pretty extraordinary set of circumstances so who benefits from the carry on?

If Elijah goes on to have a happy and healthy life from this point that's about all that matters. The disaster that could come from all this is obvious and should terrify everyone.

Reporting beat-ups based on amateur lip reading videos is embarrassing for all involved.

 

[Blue and Silver]

I don't really want to speculate.

My understanding is that there are certain mental health presentations which are very similar to the way an intoxicated person presents.

They are typically fairly serious conditions which will require lifelong management.

It is also common for them to first emerge in the mid-twenties.

Wishing Elijah the best

 

[Gavstar]

One thing I've been wondering - did the club do this on purpose, letting him run out so we have cause to delist him?

Entirely unprofessional if so, but it would certainly be a statement...

I doubt it as knowingly breaching workplace health and safety laws (including psychosocial safety) would be a serious matter.

Club may have made a mistake letting him play given his issues during the week but they may have not been aware of all of the circumstances on the day.

IMO, once the issue was visible on the ground they had a duty of care to remove him from the game.

 

[BlueBlood15]

Firstly I just hope Elijah is ok and is being appropriately supported by family, friends and the club. This is more than football. It is about the health of a young man who has his whole life ahead of him and, if appropriately managed and cared for, can live a fulfilling and happy life.

Secondly it is as clear as day he was let down by the club on Thursday night. Regardless of what caused or contributed to his state on Thursday night, he should not have been on the field from the time it became clear how he was acting. Ideally that was pre game but, if not, it had to be early on in the game. Certainly not the last quarter.

Thirdly the question in my head now is who is responsible for this failure in leadership, governance and welfare and in what proportion. The answer to those questions requires a fulsome and proper investigation by the club which seems to be underway. Until this investigation is finalised it is hard to draw conclusions about what should happen next. We all want and deserve answers but given the sensitivities involved this might take longer to resolve than we would ideally like.

Fourthly, while on the topic of what happens next and acknowledging that we need to wait for the investigation to conclude, it is clear the club needs to be contrite and take full responsibility for what has happened. The only way forward is for our leadership to put their hands up admit full fault and then move to rectifying the systemic issues that allowed this to happen. While I understand many aren’t happy with Wright’s interview yesterday, my read from his responses that “you are asking very valid questions and so are we internally” is that he understands the gravity of the situation and will ensure the club takes full responsibility for it.

 

[RPCB]

I don't really want to speculate.

My understanding is that there are certain mental health presentations which are very similar to the way an intoxicated person presents.

They are typically fairly serious conditions which will require lifelong management.

It is also common for them to first emerge in the mid-twenties.

Wishing Elijah the best

I don’t think we should speculate at all until a full investigation into what went wrong concludes and that includes an investigation into what the coaching staff did wrong.

Elijah obviously had a bad night and one we never want to see repeated from any AFL player, but with the way the media, social media, AFL supporters have treated this situation, Elijah must think everyone is against him.

I have seen people say online that he’s is a grown man and should sort this life out, but I would hope that in society we don’t ignore when someone is clearly having a rough time.

 

[thegreatbeast]

I don't really want to speculate.

My understanding is that there are certain mental health presentations which are very similar to the way an intoxicated person presents.

They are typically fairly serious conditions which will require lifelong management.

It is also common for them to first emerge in the mid-twenties.

Wishing Elijah the best

I can speak from my own experience and that is absolutely correct. I suffered severe panic and anxiety in my early to mid-20's. If someone had seen me during an episode I could be anywhere from curled up in a corner to completely manic, twitchy and incoherent whilst being completely sober.

 

[AndyLucimitis]

Caro's angle makes even more sense after viewing that.

Houston's account especially is pretty damning

Caro and the media are such hypocrites.

They all start out with "the most important thing is Elijahs health and him being supported etc".

Then, in Caros case, almost immediately lead with the line 'Collingwood players think it was alcohol'....and then go with the extraordinary justification of "I'm only going with this line as Carlton have not shut it down" ????

 

[JJBagger]

I can speak from my own experience and that is absolutely correct. I suffered severe panic and anxiety in my early to mid-20's. If someone had seen me during an episode I could be anywhere from curled up in a corner to completely manic, twitchy and incoherent whilst being completely sober.

Same with me. I’ve even had episodes where people havent even realised anything is wrong. There is such a wide spectrum of how they can manifest

 

[Sector 7G]

Well our players werent kicking it to him, even when way in the clear.

And whose to say what our players think. None have said anything.

This is an interesting point people are making. Are we sure it was intentional? Carlton players have been ignoring players in the clear all season. Has repeatedly done my head in.

 

[marcmurphy3]

One thing I've been wondering - did the club do this on purpose, letting him run out so we have cause to delist him?

Entirely unprofessional if so, but it would certainly be a statement...

Pretty ridiculous suggestion .

They could withdraw him and delist him without humiliating themselves and him in front of 80,000 people.