Ex-Hawthorn star Nick Holland and his wife Rachel Holland sent disturbing slurs by Nick’s brother Ben Holland

Former AFL player Nick Holland and his wife Rachel Holland are considering legal action over a series of threatening and vicious messages sent by Ben Holland.

Brothers Ben and Nick Holland are both former AFL players.

Former Tigers and Dees footballer Ben Holland has launched a series of vicious ­attacks on his ex-AFL star brother Nick, and even wished death on sister-in-law Rachel.

Nick, who was vice-captain of the Hawks, and his former model and lawyer wife Rachel, are considering legal action against Ben over several threatening and nasty messages he circulated about the couple to a WhatsApp group.

Among the disturbing slurs, seen by the Herald Sun, is a comment wishing death upon Rachel – saying he hopes she “gets a blood clot” from the coronavirus vaccine.

In one of the messages, Ben also says his niece and nephew need protection as “they (Nick and Rachel) are shocking narcissistic parents”.

Nick and Rachel Holland.

Ben Holland.

Ben, now a podiatrist, also describes ­Rachel as having “mental health issues” and tells the group that he fears for the children’s “long-term mental health”.

He calls out the “fakeness” of the couple’s well-known friends and has defaced images of Rachel.

Sources close to the former AFL players say their relationship deteriorated after Ben, the lesser decorated of the pair, was involved in an undisclosed police incident in the US during his playing days.

Asked about the circulation of the messages on social media, Rachel said: “I would have preferred for this to remain a private matter, my only concern is the wellbeing and protection of my children.”

Nick was not available for comment.

Ben said on Wednesday night: “At the time of the messages I was really hurt, they gave me no support … when I needed some. I had a newborn in ICU, with a disability in the Royal Children’s Hospital. I still hold out hope Nick will come back to the family.”

Ben and Nick each played almost 200 AFL games.

Nick, a lawyer and the general manager of legal, risk and integrity at Hawthorn Football Club, played for the Hawks from 1994 to 2005, winning the Rising Star Award and a Best and Fairest.

He and Rachel married in a lavish ceremony in 2008 and she has become a high-profile Melbourne figure.

Ben works for the Victorian Podiatry Group, with past clients listed as including Collingwood and North Melbourne, Tennis Australia, Cricket Australia and ­several Olympic athletes.

He retired from professional football in 2008. That year he was involved in a fight with teammate Nathan Carroll that required medical attention.

He also sued Richmond and president Clinton Casey for unpaid benefits.