In his own words, Ollie Hollands speaks about re-signing for another three seasons with the Blues.

I’m really looking forward to the next three years with the Blues. To be able to get the deal done, I’m so grateful that the Club has a strong belief in me.

Once you get to this point of the season and you’re out of contract, it definitely sparks conversations. I was grateful for the interest elsewhere, but I’m so excited to be able to be in this position to sign with the Club for another three years.

To be honest, I feel like this is where I belong.

I’ve been at Carlton for the last four years and I’ve absolutely loved my time at IKON Park. Being able to continue on my career in the Navy Blue, I truly believed throughout the whole year that I could work my way back into the team and get a deal done to stay. I just wanted to continue to give back to the footy club that gave me this chance.

A lot of that is what we’ve been building: there’s a lot of belief in this group. Although we fell short of where we’d like to be this season, there’s such great belief in what we can do, where this playing group is at, where we’re going as a whole footy club and what we were able to achieve this year.

Then, there’s everything that comes with being at this footy club. There’s something really special about this place.

I know sometimes it can be difficult when we’re not quite getting results, but there is so much support out there at this great club. Throughout the year with what was going on, the support I received from the players, the staff, the coaches, Chris Davies, Graham Wright, the fans… it was just so many people. Then there was the support I received from a football perspective when it came to my own career. Jordan Russell was a massive one for me. He’s our Head of Development, but there were times we weren’t even talking footy - it was just about life.

It was definitely a year of adversity and challenges and resilience, but I feel like that’s only going to hold me in good stead going forward. It’s given me a lot of belief in myself that I can bounce back.

Getting to be part of those big games in those last three weeks, they’re what you want to play in. I was shattered for ‘Wilbur’ to miss those last few games, it’s never a great thing to get back in the side through injury to your teammates.

The conversations I was having with the coaches each week was that if an opportunity arose, I’d have to be ready to go. I came in for that Fremantle game and honestly, I was pretty nervous, feeling like I was back in my first year a little bit. But then to be part of that and to win that wildcard final in front of over 90,000 people, it was pretty damn special.

It instilled a lot of belief in me in what I do and the strengths I bring, and given me a huge lift going into this off-season.

I get the chance to travel this year, whereas last season with the shoulder reconstruction meant I was stuck here rehabbing my shoulder… regardless, I think there’ll be quite a few hours in the gym once again, that’s for sure!