The fallout to the Elijah Hollands scandal is far from over, with some Carlton staffers still ‘bruised and unhappy’ and the club doctor considering his future.
The AFL has fined Carlton $75,000 for the mishandling of the player, while also saying they will now implement changes around mental health care in the game, including mandating full-time psychologists at clubs.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Elijah Hollands fallout as questions remain unanswered
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However, there are questions about that plan, with the league also admitting on Tuesday that it did not know how the model would exactly work, or whether the psychologists would be present during games.
Veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson said she has very skeptical over the ‘psychologists’ revelation, calling it a “quick fix headline” grabber.
“I’m not criticising Laura Kane (the AFL’s manager of health and football operations), but the AFL mandated an Indigenous welfare person at every club three days a week, and we know that’s not happening …,” Wilson said on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters.
Elijah Hollands during the match against Collingwood. Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
“I think that looks to me like a quick fix headline and I’m again not saying that’s Laura Kane’s fault, but I don’t think that necessarily is going to make any difference at all.
“I mean, the best psychologist at a footy club might only be available to work for the club on a match day or two days a week or three days a week. Why on earth do you need to mandate a full-time psychologist? It just doesn’t make sense.”
AFL expert Kane Cornes also questioned the plan, saying if the AFL was struggling to get doctors to stay involved in the game, how would they find 18 psychologists “who are up to their eyeballs in work outside of sport”?
Wilson also said the fine was “sort of irrelevant to a degree” but Carlton people know “they have done the wrong thing”.
“They’ve been shamed to a degree today, and hopefully it never happens again. And hopefully Elijah Holland is back living a happy life soon,” Wilson said on .
But there are still questions that have gone unanswered.
AFL chief Andrew Dillon dodged questions, when asked on Tuesday, if Hollands had been under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
“There are still some pretty bruised and unhappy people at Carlton,” Wilson said on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters.
“I think there are people at Carlton questioning whether they did the right thing, unhappy that their integrity has been questioned, and wishing that they’d maybe acted sooner or differently.
“I think it’s a combination of all three. And look, there was a question, and I reported earlier about the suggestion of the player having been drinking, and the Collingwood players felt that he had been during the game.”
When pressed on that on Tuesday, Dillon spoke about “visual cues”, but added “that other information, (we) can’t do that at the moment”.
Hollands has been interviewed by the AFL and at the moment is looking after his own health and wellbeing.
“Obviously (his health) is primary in all of this,” Wilson said.
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“But we are covering a very big story about a football game and a football club that is found to have brought the game into disrepute with their mishandling of this.
“And I just think early on it was being reported, no drugs, no alcohol, Carlton are adamant. Now, I don’t know how they can say that, and I think it’s been noted by pretty much everyone who has been involved in this investigation that the suggestion of alcohol cannot, at the very least, be refuted.”
Wilson was asked if it would ever come to light.
“I don’t think it really matters,” she said.
“It just goes to the handling of the situation that if Collingwood players felt this was the case and if it was the case – and no one said it wasn’t the case and they’re still not denying it – then it just goes … to the mishandling of the situation and why the club needed to be fined and why it was so very poorly handled and why there was a miscommunication (issue).
“And everyone should have got together at the very latest at half-time (and taken action), and they didn’t. Now, hopefully that will change as a result of these findings.”
Wilson said Carlton were standing by their doctors and head doctor, Matt Chamberlain, who took personal leave in the days after the Hollands scandal.
Chamberlain returned to work for the weekend’s game against St Kilda.
“But I’m not sure whether Matt Chamberlain is certain that he’s going to continue being an AFL doctor,” Wilson said.
“He is just considering, as a lot of doctors in the AFL industry are, considering whether it’s worth it. He’s been very disappointed, personally, by what’s been said … (and the) suggestions that there was mishandling of the situation.”
If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For further information about depression contact beyondblue on 1300224636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.
