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Prized Carlton draftee Oliver Hollands says he is ready to pick apart teammate Sam Walsh’s game in a bid to help his own development.
Hollands was still buzzing on Tuesday, having been taken with the Blues’ top pick, No.11 overall, in Monday night’s AFL national draft.
He joined several of his fellow first-round draftees at a gathering at Harbour Esplanade at the Docklands, but Hollands had one advantage many of the others didn’t – he had been selected by the club he grew up cheering for.
Prized Carlton Blues draftee Oliver Hollands.Credit:Morgan Hancock, Getty Images
“I am so excited. To be a Blues supporter, to have your name read out is pretty special,” he said.
“Unfortunately, there hasn’t been too much success [in his lifetime] but where the club is going now, I think that is going to take a turn.”
Hollands has grown up through the darkest period of the Blues’ history, this now including almost a decade without appearing in the finals. But in the hard-running Murray Bushrangers’ midfielder, the Blues have added a blue-chip weapon to an on-ball brigade featuring Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps, Adam Cerra, George Hewett, Matt Kennedy and Walsh.
Like Walsh, Hollands is an elite runner, having been equal first in the two kilometre time trial at the combine.
“Growing up, it was pretty hard to go past Chris Judd. He was such a special player. I have just loved the way he has gone about it through his career,” Hollands said.
“Probably more so in the last few years, it’s hard to go past Walshy and Crippa. The work they have done at the club, they are two players that I really admire.
“I think I’ll try and pick apart a little bit of Walshy’s game and implement it in mine. His work rate, his two-way running, his balance in his midfield game, the inside, outside – I watch it closely and will try and implement it into my game.”
Hollands can also lean on his older brother Elijah, the No.7 overall pick taken by the Gold Coast Suns in 2020. Hollands was drafted at a time he was recovering from an ACL injury, and did not play a senior game in 2021. However, his talent was on show this year and he won a Rising Star nomination.
This year’s first-round draft picks. Credit:The Age
“I am not coming in thinking I am just going to walk into the team straightaway,” Hollands said.
“That’s something I have learnt over the last few years, from my brother particularly. Obviously, he has had his challenges with injury, having to persist. My mindset is I know that I have to go in there and earn my spot. I am not just going to walk in there straightaway.
“For me, I think, at first, it might be more of an outside role. As I start to put on a little bit more size and develop into a bigger body, I could go more into that inside role. Obviously, it’s not a given. I have got to earn a spot.”
