Carlton reward troubled star and former Giant with second chance spot

Carlton have made a call on their final SSP spots, rewarding Elijah Hollands and Wade Derksen with a place on the list for 2026.

A former first round pick, Hollands' talent has never been in question, featuring 22 times in 2024 as one of the Blues' best users on and ahead of the ball.

However, a turbulent season dealing with personal matters saw the 23-year-old feature just five times in '25, with the talent falling out of favour with the club due to ongoing off-field issues.

With the club prepared to give up on Hollands at the conclusion of last season, the former Sun stepped up over the off-season, hardly putting a foot wrong during the club's pre-season after being offered the chance to trial for an SSP spot.

And as confirmed by 7News' Xander McGuire, Elijah Hollands has been rewarded for his efforts, earning a spot on the Blues' list for the 2026 season.

After attempting to find his way to Melbourne from GWS in 2024, 24-year-old Derksen was delisted and joined the Blues' VFL set up while being granted a trial spot over the off-season.

Impressing during the Blues' pre-season hit out against the Lions, Derksen has earned his spot, with hopes of making his official AFL debut in the near future.