Carlton recruit and former Gold Coast player Elijah Hollands has avoided conviction and will instead be required to undergo two months of good behaviour and attend a drug education session after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine.
Hollands faced court on Tuesday after he was served with a notice to appear in court relating to possession of an illicit substance.
Both Carlton and Gold Coast confirmed the news earlier this month - just days after a trade between the two clubs saw the Suns midfielder head to Princes Park.
The Blues were aware of the matter and decided to proceed with their pursuit of the 21-year-old, stating that "an informed decision" had been made by the club to go ahead with the acquisition of Hollands.
According toย 7 Newsย reporter Mitch Cleary, Hollands pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine at court this week.
The Carlton recruit has avoided a conviction and will be required to undergo two months of good behaviour and will also be required to attend a drug education class.
"I made a mistake that I am extremely remorseful for," Hollands told the media on Tuesday.
"It's not only impacted me but my family as well. I'd like to thank Carlton and the Gold Coast Suns for their continued support over the last few weeks."
Carlton recruit Elijah Hollands has this morning pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine.
Sentenced to two months good behaviour & must attend a drug education session. No conviction was recorded.
Similar incidents have typically incurred 2-match ban from the AFL@7NewsMelbourne— Mitch Cleary (@cleary_mitch) October 31, 2023
According toย News Corp,ย Carlton had tabled a three-year deal to Hollands prior to finding out of his indiscretion, with a one-year deal signed by the wingman instead.
Hollands is expected to miss the first two matches for the 2024 season and his career as a Blue, with the AFL recently offering similar penalties and a drug strike to a player's record for "conduct unbecoming".
Collingwood's Jack Ginnivan missed the start of this year due to a drug-related matter, while Western Bulldogs midfielder Bailey Smith was suspended for two games midway through the 2022 season for a separate incident.
Carlton offered comment on the verdict on Tuesday afternoon, claiming that their new recruit would work hard over the summer to get into his new teammate's good graces.
โElijah made a mistake, had been up front with us prior to joining the Club regarding this situation and has taken full ownership of what was a poor decision,โ Blues GM of Football Brad Lloyd said within a statement.
โThe strong leadership our club has will allow Elijah to enter our environment with the support he needs and just like any player who walks through our doors, he will get to work on earning the respect of his teammates from day one of pre-season training.โ
Hollands joined the Suns as the seventh pick in the 2020 National Draft and played 14 AFL games in his three years at Carrara before seeking a trade to Carlton.
