Nothing illustrates the frenzy that is the AFL trade period better than Jack Ginnivan: A lock to stay one day, a good chance to leave the next.
There had been assurances from all parties there was nothing to see heading into the trade period.
Both the Collingwood camp and Ginnivan camp were happy for the 20-year-old to stay put for the final year of his current deal following a constructive exit meeting with Craig McRae.
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Fast forward to the penultimate day of the trade period and Ginnivan is on the verge of a trade to Hawthorn.
As first reported by SEN’s Sam Edmund and Tom Morris, rival clubs held the view Collingwood was open to trading Ginnivan.
For its part, the club said on Tuesday it had been in contact with Ginnivan’s manager – John Meesen at Kapital Sports Group – who, the club said, wanted to explore trade options for his client.
On the other hand, Ginnivan feels this was not a process initiated by him but rather by the Pies, with the 20-year-old’s management told he should explore his trade options if he had them.
Those close to Ginnivan believe the small forward is being pushed out by Collingwood, rather than him initiating a move.
While only ‘exploring’ a trade at this stage, such an outcome is all-but-certain given how the rapid process has played out along with Hawthorn’s interest in securing him.
Collingwood’s General Manager of Football Graham Wright told Trade Radio on Monday afternoon he hadn’t taken any calls on Ginnivan, nor had he sought to.
The whirlwind Ginnivan has experienced in the last 24 hours is evident in the timeline: Having returned from a trip to Bali on Monday, Ginnivan met with Hawthorn on Tuesday and then later that day was at the Pies’ gym.
There, he posted an Instagram story of himself with the caption “locked in”, only to delete the post minutes later.
Given Hawthorn’s genuine interest in Ginnivan – Channel 7’s Mitch Cleary reports the club is prepared to offer him a four-year deal – a trade now seems a formality.
Like Adam Treloar before him, Ginnivan would find it difficult to return to a club that he believes is more than open to offloading him.
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AFL Media reports a trade would centre around a future second-round pick, as the Hawks look to juggle a number of deals.
The Hawks make sense as a landing spot given the club has lost Tyler Brockman and will be without Chad Wingard for a large portion of the 2024 season.
He fits into the Hawks’ age profile and a developing list where he can grow along with other burgeoning talents, not to mention the allure of playing for a club he barracked for growing up.
Ginnivan gets judged harsher than virtually any 20-year-old in the country and perhaps a move away from the biggest club in the land could help him recalibrate, even if he wasn’t planning on such a move heading into the trade period.
The late trade drama shows that, while Collingwood has turned over a new leaf under the partnership of coach Craig McRae and captain Darcy Moore, there remains a ruthlessly pragmatic edge to the reigning premiers.
Collingwood has shown little hesitancy in offloading players it feels are surplus to needs and some would argue the addition of Lachie Schultz has served to make Ginnivan just that.
By his own admission, Ginnivan does things differently.
He told foxfooty.com.au he wasn’t a “basic footballer like everyone else” when asked about his decision to attend the races at Moonee Valley the night before the grand final.
McRae said in the aftermath Ginnivan had to “read the room” and “grow up”, but also added Ginnivan was learning like every 20-year-old.
By the time the trade deadline rolls around on Wednesday night, it’s expected Jack Ginnivan will be a Hawthorn player and his complicated relationship with the Pies over.
What comes of his next relationship is up to him.
