Hawks young gun Nick Watson admits his side is motivated for revenge in Sunday night’s marquee Gather Round match against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, but the goal sneak isn’t sure if he’ll unleash an “aeroplane” goal celebration in response to Port coach Ken Hinkley’s taunting of Jack Ginnivan last year.
“It sits in the tummy,” Watson said on Thursday when asked for his recollections of Port’s celebrations.
Nick Watson admits there’s something extra spurring his side on this Sunday night.Credit: Joe Armao
“Everyone knows what happened last year, and it definitely sits there.
“We’ll have a bit more anger going into this week.”
Port Adelaide denied Hawthorn a preliminary final spot with their three-point semi-final win, but it was the immediate aftermath involving the heated exchange between the two sides that stole most of the attention.
Hinkley was hit with a $20,000 fine for mimicking an aeroplane and exchanging words with Hawthorn players, including Ginnivan and skipper James Sicily.
The events sparked the AFL’s newest rivalry between Port and the resurgent Hawks, who share premiership favouritism with the reigning premiers, the Brisbane Lions, after starting the season with a 4-0 record.
Asked if he heard exactly what veteran coach Hinkley said as the two teams came face to face last September, Watson said: “I didn’t hear much, to be honest. [But] I saw him do the aeroplane thing and I knew exactly what it meant.”
The events were sparked after Ginnivan, in the build-up to the game, took to Instagram to comment on a post by former Collingwood teammate Brodie Grundy after Sydney’s qualifying final win.
Swans big man Grundy posted a series of selfies with teammates afterwards, to which Ginnivan replied: “See u in 14 days”.
Hinkley’s reference to airline travel was apparently a reference to the fact that Ginnivan had been grounded, instead.
“It definitely set Sicily off,” said Watson.
