Holland

After playing one senior game for South Melbourne two years earlier, Reuben Holland arrived at Carlton Football Club in 1910, intent on having another tilt at VFL football. Holland would play with VFA club Camberwell during the 1909 season.

Blues’ captain-coach, Fred ‘Pompey’ Elliott, gave Holland his first chance to impress in July of that year, by selecting him to play on a half-forward flank (alongside another debutante, Claude Cornish) in the team to face strugglers Melbourne. As expected, Carlton demolished the Redlegs by more than ten goals, but Elliott proved he was sometimes a difficult man to please. Holland and Cornish were both left out of the side to play South Melbourne the following week.

Reuben had to wait until the Round 16 match of the day against Essendon in late August to make his second appearance. This time, he lined up alongside Jim Marchbank and Alex ‘Bongo’ Lang at half-forward, as Carlton fell 8 points short of the Same Olds in one of the games of the year.

Carlton’s next opponent was to be Richmond in Round 17. Coach Elliott continued ringing the changes, and brought a remarkable four more first-gamers into the side to meet the Tigers. Holland was one of those who made way for the newcomers, and from then on he wasn’t able to force his way back into the team that went all the way to the Grand Final.

Collingwood beat Carlton by 14 points to claim the 1910 flag, and Reuben Holland’s name joined the list of former Blues.

Commenting on players in Port Melbourne's practice match The Standard (April 15 1911 p2) said;
"... Holland (Carlton) also has football in him"

Holland was born in Richmond, he passed away in 1944 aged 54.

There was a Reuben Henry Holland at Camberwell Grammar in 1906. He won a Sports Prize for the One Mile Walk. (Age December 18 p10)
Reuben Thomas Henry Holland of 170 Camberwell Rd Camberwell died September 22 1944, laid to rest at Burwood Cemetery.
Reuben Holland was a builder who lived in Camberwell. Same person?