Hawthorn striker Jack Ginnivan revealed he knew it was time to leave Collingwood after a post-season meeting with Magpies coach Craig McRae.
Weeks after playing in Collingwood’s premiership victory last September, the Anzac Day medalist was offered a four-year contract to play for the Hawks, the club he grew up supporting.
After a turbulent 12 months that included a two-game suspension for admitting illicit drug use, Ginnivan got into trouble for attending a horse racing event on the eve of the grand final.
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“Read the room, Jack,” McRae said in his post-grand final press conference when asked about Ginnivan’s night at Moonee Valley Racecourse.
Ginnivan, who owns several racehorses but did not race that night in question, was frustrated by how the story broke.
“My friend and I went there at 6:30 pm and got home at 9:30 pm. It was actually no big deal,” the 21-year-old told the Tommy Talks podcast. .
“I don’t think it’s a mistake on my part, but probably just how people perceived it.
“It didn’t look very good, which would be the only thing I would change.
“Nothing really came up until the ‘Fly’ (McRae) press conference and my exit meeting, and that’s when I knew I should probably leave.
“It was a bit of a revealing (moment), that exit meeting.
“The most disappointing thing was probably that no coach or player reached out to me and said, ‘I want you to stay and we really value you,’ and all that stuff.”
Despite McRae’s public annoyance, Ginnivan went to Collingwood’s Crazy Monday celebrations dressed as a jockey.
“They’re actually (jockey) Craig Williams’ silks,” Ginnivan said.
“I bought them on Friday night in the Valley because I was with some people from the Valley who put us in the box and just took care of us.
“I didn’t even know it would explode, so I thought I’d go as a jockey because I like horses.
“And then it blew up and it was the funniest thing ever.”
Ginnivan will face Collingwood on Sunday for the first time since his departure when Hawthorn take on the Magpies at Adelaide Oval.
“They probably should have put it on the ‘G in front of 90,000 (people), but they chose Gather Round in Adelaide for some reason,” Ginnivan added.
The match comes as Ginnivan is back in the spotlight after referees appeared to ignore apparent free kicks towards him in Hawthorn’s Easter Monday loss to Geelong.
“If he (is being refereed differently) then the AFL has a process to contact them,” Hawks coach Sam Mitchell said.
“If we look at them again and think he’s getting a raw deal, then I’ll contact the AFL this week and ask them to look at it.”
AAP
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