When Collingwood emerged victorious from one of the AFL’s greatest grand finals, Craig McRae acknowledged some displeasure with Jack Ginnivan’s decision to go the races on the night before the grand final.
“Read the room, Jack,” said McRae, when asked if Ginnivan should have gone to the races. Just 16 days has passed since the grand final and this time Ginnivan has read the room. Unless there is another twist, he will be a Hawthorn player before the close of trades on Wednesday.
What Ginnivan has discerned is that the Magpies don’t want him in the room; certainly, he understands that the arrival of Lachie Schultz from Fremantle was a signal that he was no longer needed, and they were happy for him to explore his options – a reality communicated to Ginnivan and his management after the Schultz deal.
Future Hawk? Collingwood’s Jack Ginnivan.Credit: Darrian Traynor
The prospects of him being picked in Collingwood’s 23 had sharply declined once the Pies had snared Schultz.
So, not long after his return from Bali, Ginnivan was in a meeting with Hawthorn, who had a contract offer in front of him.
Collingwood, meanwhile, had four small forwards – Schultz, Bobby Hill, Beau McCreery and Jamie Elliott – in front of him.
So, Ginnivan has summed up his situation well. If he hasn’t always taken advice on board in the past in his short career, this time he’s taken the hint.
He had little choice but to accept a) Collingwood don’t really want him, b) that the Hawks do want him, c) he will play more games in brown and gold than he would in black and white next year.
So, he has to leave.
Ginnivan is a talented footballer who also has a gift for turbulence. The incident in which he was filmed with an illicit substance in pre-season put him offside with the Magpies from the outset of 2023, when he suffered a two-match suspension and invited unwanted scrutiny for himself and the club. He did remarkably well to get back into the team for the finals, all factors considered.
Ginnivan is a smart player – his knack for milking frees for high contact (which dried up in the middle of 2022) and goal sense underscored his excellent game awareness.
He is adored by much of the Magpie army, as a cheeky, in-your-face, artful Dodger-like character who also antagonises the opposition crowd.
So his exit will be mourned by many in black and white, but the Pies have struck at the right time, given that they have that the premiership cup on the cabinet shelf and the fans will get over Ginnivan quickly, just as they got over Adam Treloar, Brodie Grundy and Jaidyn Stephenson.
The Pies paid a premium for Schultz, by giving up a future first-rounder, in what is arguably the most consequential player trade of 2023.
Collingwood paid overs and have essentially gambled on returning to contention next year. If they finish top four and Schultz performs, the investment will be justified. If they slide down to outside the finals, as per Geelong this year, then the trade will really hurt – as it did when Richmond gave up a future first for Jacob Hopper that turned into pick seven.
Fremantle had to demand overs, in recognition that the Dockers have shed both Schultz and Liam Henry, without compensating with mature talent. They will have an excellent draft with three first rounders in 2024.
The loss of that pair, however, could make finals in 2024 a harder ask for Justin Longmuir, who is entering his fifth season at the helm. Fremantle’s hierarchy must be mindful that their gains in the longer-term haven’t helped the senior coach’s immediate prospects.
Fremantle also discovered how the trading of future first-rounders is a fraught exercise, the outcome hinging heavily on where one finishes the following year, given they fell to 14th and found that Luke Jackson was also costing them pick six.
But Collingwood’s sage football boss Graham Wright got plenty right in 2022, when he brought in Hill, Tom Mitchell, Daniel McStay (free agent) and Billy Frampton, all relatively inexpensive acquisitions in draft terms, while retaining a first-round selection.
Who are we to question the Magpies on the purchase of an excellent small forward, or on the jettisoning of another who was a cult figure a matter of weeks ago? In comparison to those making the calls, to borrow from another (Sergeant) Schultz, I know nothing.
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