- Hawks will face Port Adelaide for a place in the preliminary final
- Ginnivan has already courted controversy this finals series
- Has landed in hot water again over five simple words
AFL analysts have lashed Hawthorn controversy magnet Jack Ginnivan for creating another unnecessary distraction ahead of the Hawks elimination final against Port Adelaide.
Ginnivan had already stirred the pot by going to a Richmond pub on the eve of Hawthorn’s first elimination final against the Western Bulldogs.
He then whacked the hornet’s next by taunting Bulldogs fans with a drinking gesture to celebrate a goal in their 4.15 (99) to 9.8 (62) victory.
The controversial star was not finished there, sinking the boot into Friday night’s opposition with four simple words.
His former Collingwood teammate had posted images on Instagram with Sydney teammates after their derby win over GWS.
Ginnivan responded to the post with the comment ‘see u in 14 days’, implying the Hawks would breeze past Port Adelaide to seal a preliminary final berth against the Swans.
His comment attracted hundreds of comments, many calling him out for going the early crow.
‘One week at a time young blood,’ one posted.
‘You are an arrogant bloke aren’t ya?’ asked another.
‘Coming from a someone who did nothing in a gf you definitely have a lot of nerve,’ added another with a laughing emoji.
The original post from former teammate Brodie Grundy that Ginnivan commented on
The young Hawks star made this gesture to clap back at those who bagged him for going to the pub the night before an elimination final
Others were in support of the cheeky comment.
‘Do you need some pub recommendations in Sydney?’ one follower asked, tongue firmly in cheek.
‘Liking your bravado there,’ added another.
But Port Adelaide premiership winner and media personality Kane Cornes was not amused by the comment.
‘Jack Ginnivan has done it again. He is a distraction, and he has made it all about himself again,’ Cornes said on SEN Sportsday.
‘He thinks he’s won already, he’s got to come to Adelaide on Friday night first.
‘I mean, is there anyone who can read the room less than Jack Ginnivan?’
Cornes said the move could backfire because it could provide the motivation Port needs to bounce back from its first week of finals flogging at the hands of Geelong.
‘Now, it’s all working beautifully for him at the moment and Hawthorn are embracing him and they’re happy for him to go to a pub before dinner and all of that like the celebrations … the social media stuff is great,’ Cornes said.
‘But when you get ahead of yourself and it may be half a per cent motivation for Port Adelaide extra to just galvanise them ahead of Friday night … Ginnivan thinks he’s already through to a Prelim.
‘Why would he do that?’
Former Port Adelaide star Kane Cornes is not amused with Ginnivan’s antics this finals series
Cornes said Ginnivan’s comment could fire up the Port Adelaide players and backfire on the Hawks star
It comes after Hawks coach Sam Mitchell defended his prize recruit for going to the pub before the Bulldogs match.
‘Absolutely (a non-issue). I didn’t ask, I probably should have. I wonder how many players went out for dinner to a public place last night? I would guess maybe half,’ Mitchell said post match.
‘I think most of us have watched Friday night footy or watched Thursday night footy at a public venue for the majority of the year.’
But veteran journalist Caroline Wilson warned Ginnivan that he could be working his coach’s last nerve.
‘I’m not buying the Sam Mitchell comments. Let’s just see what goes on. ‘Look at me, look at me’, can only go so far,’ Wilson said on Nine’s Footy Classified on Monday night.
‘You might get jittery sitting home alone and you might need to get out. But do you go to one of the biggest pubs in Melbourne on the night before?
‘What if someone drunk had come up to him and belted him? That’s what happens at pubs in Richmond sometimes.’
Friday’s elimination final between Port Adelaide and Hawthorn at the Adelaide Oval kicks off at 7:40 pm (AEST).
