Ollie Hollands describes what it's been like joining Carlton in the AFL

The former Wodonga junior realised a lifetime ambition on Monday night when the Blues took him with pick 11 in the national draft.

Hollands, 18, follows in the footsteps of his great-grandfather Martin Cross, who played for Carlton in the 1962 grand final before later coaching Myrtleford to the 1970 Ovens and Murray premiership.

"It's pretty ridiculous," Hollands smiled.

"I've grown up as a Carlton supporter and you dream of it, one day being out there, so to be at the club now is very special.

"I'm over the moon.

"I was absolutely pumped, hearing my name get called out and the raw emotion of being there with family and friends.

"Coming into it, we were a little bit hopeful the Blues would call out my name but for it to actually happen was super special."

It's been a catalogue of media commitments for Hollands since the draft, the hard-running midfielder taking it in his stride as much as possible.

"It was awesome to meet with a few people from the club, have a look at the facilities and take the family through," Hollands said.

"The last few days have been pretty full-on, very hectic, so it was good to just sit down on Tuesday night and watch the (second round of the) draft and watch a few of my mates get drafted.

"That was super special and to see a few of the boys get picked up, it was good to see Harry Lemmey, Jaxon Binns and Lachie Cowan all get picked up by the Blues.

"It's been a very full-on couple of days, that's for sure, but it's been so exciting at the same time.

"The media-related stuff throughout the year definitely helped in terms of taking on the interviews and having those conversations with clubs as well, where you're under a little bit of pressure.

"It's all been pretty draining, however, it has been a very tiring couple of days but it's been so exciting."

The few interviews I've had throughout the year have been very helpful."

Sitting inside Marvel Stadium on draft night was unforgettable for Hollands and his support crew.

"We haven't had that event in-person due to COVID over the last couple of years so being able to share that moment with the other draftees and their families was really special," Hollands said.

"It was awesome to watch a few guys go before me, especially some of my closer mates like Aaron Cadman and Jhye Clark.

"To be able to get to the Carlton footy club, I'm absolutely over the moon.

"I was able to do a little bit of training on Wednesday and first impressions are how organised and professional the club is.

"I've received nearly 100 messages from the club, so the support base is phenomenal."

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Now the focus turns towards earning an AFL debut.

"To be in this position is only one small step on the journey," Hollands insisted.

"There's still so much more hard work to do.

"Getting into pre-season, I'll be trying to make a good impression and build that trust from the team-mates.

"I'm not setting the bar too high, there's no expectation for me to go in there and be playing by round one but if I can gain the trust of my team-mates and see my name thrown up there for round one, that would be pretty awesome."

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