AFL legend Leigh Matthews has labelled Jack Ginnivan a “victim of personality umpiring” amid the AFL’s admittance that the premiership-winning forward was incorrectly adjudicated in multiple instances on Monday.
Speaking to Sam McClure on 3AW’s Wide World of Sports, the four-time VFL premiership player did not hold back in his thoughts on the AFL’s handling of high contact free kicks.
“The AFL have set up the fire on this,” Matthews seethed.
“Steve Hocking, Brad Scott – who were Laura Kane’s predecessors over this last half a dozen years – somehow rather (at the AFL) have markedly altered the balance between the rights of the ball carrier, and the rights of the tackler; it annoys me intensely.”
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Often regarded as the best Aussie Rules player in the 20th century, Matthews himself was not afraid to hit the contest hard and make his presence felt by opponents.
The four-time AFL premiership coach held strong views on the expectation of players once picking up a contested ball, with the fabric of the art now shifted greatly compared to his playing days.
“When you pick the ball up, what, you’ve automatically got to stand up? How stupid is that?” Matthews said.
“Any player worth his salt, when you’re down over the ball, you tend to stay down.”
Is Jack Ginnivan umpired differently? | 08:41
Ginnivan regularly finds himself under the microscope in his team’s forward 50, often crumbing and collecting a loose ball around goal.
The 21-year-old currently sits 37th for ground ball gets in the competition, and second at Hawthorn only to new draftee Nick Watson.
Matthews finished his synopsis on Ginnivan’s treatment with a direct message to the AFL, and those who he believes have changed the way the game is being both officiated and played.
“I blame Steve Hocking, and I blame Brad Scott – whoever else was making those decisions – I mean it’s markedly changed the rights (of the player with the ball),” Matthews continued.
“We have that many high contacts not being paid, and I blame the AFL hierarchy.
“I’m not an AFL basher; they’ve marketed the game outstandingly, almost every decision they make has advanced the sport – but this particular situation … I just think it’s diabolical, and the umpires are now caught completely between a rock and a hard place.”
“There are two sets of rules” | 01:04
Matthews is not the only AFL media personality with strong opinions, with the Herald Sun’s Sam Landsberger opting for a statistical route to justify his belief on Ginnivan during Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle.
“Last year he ranked 135th in the AFL for high contact free kicks, so he’s dropped from number one (in 2022) to 135 – tell me he’s not being umpired differently,” Landsberger exclaimed when referencing to vision from Hawthorn’s clash with Geelong on Monday.
“It’s ridiculous – he’s getting his head ripped off right there.”
The numbers collectively as a competition have also taken a dive in recent years, with less reward for the ball carrier when contacted high.
There were 1,844 high contact free kicks paid across the whole of 2022, with 1,677 paid in 2023 – close to a 10 per cent reduction.
“A 10 per cent reduction on overall high contact free kicks, and an 80 per cent reduction for Jack Ginnivan – how does that stack up?” Landsberger added.
Despite his striking beliefs, the journalist pointed out the AFL’s ability to admit wrongdoings with Ginnivan.
“The AFL had today, to their credit, admitted that they got this wrong; they made two mistakes on Monday,” Landsberger said.
Fellow Midweek Tackle panellists Lauren Wood and Jay Clark also chimed in on the debate, noting it’s longevity, as well as what it holds for Ginnivan moving forward.
“Players have been looking to do this (draw head-high free kicks) since Jesus was a boy,” Wood joked.
“Doesn’t Jack Ginnivan have to add more strings to his bow? That’s the thing here – that’s been the major source of his goals over the journey,” Clark asked of the small forward.
“I think they’re (the umpires) onto him, and now the challenge for him, from Sam Mitchell and the Hawthorn coaching staff, will be to add more strings to his bow – he can’t rely on that only to kick his goals.”
The controversy surrounding Ginnivan has come at a fascinating time, with his first match against former side Collingwood set to give Gather Round an eye-watering finish in Adelaide on Sunday evening.
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