Patrick Cripps has defended the club’s handling of Elijah Holland’s mental health episode as he reflected on a ‘career-defining’ start to 2026.
It’s been a whirlwind season for the Blues captain, whose side has endured a horror 1-8 start after repeated second-half fade-outs that saw them lose coach Michael Voss, while Hollands’ struggles put club staff in the spotlight and saw the AFL fine them $75,000.
The Carlton captain admitted it had been a ‘big few weeks’ but backed the club’s handling of Hollands despite the league finding he should have been removed from play earlier.
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“It’s always hard when something like that does occur. You never want to see that in any form of life. You want to help people as much as you can,” he told Stellar magazine.
“What I think gets lost in a lot of commentaries [is] we’re so lucky as players … We get access to the best of the best, from high-performance [programs], medical, coaching …
“Since my time at Carlton, I couldn’t speak highly enough of how we get looked after and the welfare we get.
“I think the most important thing that can come out of it is Lij [Elijah] now getting the best help,” he adds.
Cripps has always been fiercely loyal to the Blues, a trait that saw the dual Brownlow medallist elevated to co-captain in 2019 before shouldering the load solo since 2022.
It means the 31-year-old has been in the spotlight as the face of one of the AFL’s biggest, but he said he embraces the challenge that comes with leadership.
“I think when you get criticised [as a player], you’ve got to understand that they’re not criticising you as a person,” he said.
“They might be criticising your game or how you perform. That’s the courage that athletes have when you step into the arena – you put yourself out there to be judged.
“You have a lot of eyes on you.”
Patrick Cripps of the Blues interacts with fans Credit: Albert Perez/Getty Images
Cripps also credited the birth of his daughter Koda for helping maintain balance in his life.
“It does help me switch off when I’m at home,” he said.
“Even in the rooms after the games, she’s flat out – [she] runs around everywhere [and] thinks it’s the best thing ever.”
Having been at the club since being drafted in 2013, Cripps has just one year left on his contract and has been linked to a move back to WA to finish out his career, having supported West Coast as a child.
However, despite Carlton’s precarious position, Cripps said his desire is to be a one-club player.
“That’s the goal. I’m a loyal person. We’ll see how everything pans out, but [I] don’t see any reason why not,” he said.
“I don’t like to look too far ahead because I know how quickly life can change.”
