Sam Mitchell speaks on Port rivalry, Ginnivan ahead of trade period moves

Sam Mitchell says he still hasn’t spoken to Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley following last week’s post-match sledge to Jack Ginnivan, while the Hawthorn boss was impressed the youngster admitted he needs to “grow up.”

Mitchell played down Hinkley’s exchange with Ginnivan after the siren – a taunt that resulted in the AFL fining Port $20,000 – as a “very, very minor part” of last weekend’s semi-final loss to Port.

It came in response to Ginnivan, 21, commenting “see u in 14 days” on the Instagram of former teammate and Swans ruckman Brodie Grundy — implying Hawthorn was going to beat the Power.

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And while Mitchell, who initially expressed frustration in his post-match press conference, said the Hawks hadn’t put any focus on the incident, he was all for any rivalry it could ignite.

“I haven’t spoken to Ken, but I wouldn’t necessarily expect to,” Mitchell told SEN Breakfast on Friday.

“I’m a lover of the theatre of the game. So if this creates a rivalry between Hawthorn and Port Adelaide, I’m not going to shy away from that.

“I think the reason we love sport is it creates this energy and vibrancy in all of our lives. Obviously for us, it’s our living, but for most people that go along to the footy, it’s their release.

“If there’s a little bit of extra passion when people go to the footy, then I’m all for that.

“So if you guys start pumping it up when we play them next year, I don’t think either club will shy away from it.”

Ginnivan conceded in an interview with Channel 7 this week his cheeky social media comment “wasn’t the smartest idea” and that “I’ve just got to grow up and be a bit smarter.”

Mitchell was “impressed” with Ginnivan’s comments, acknowledging the extreme spotlight on the young gun.

“He’s 21 years old and if you think about the amount of things he’s had in his life up to this point — some of them he’s brought on himself — but a lot of it has been just public interest for who knows what reason,” he said.

“He’s had an enormous amount of focus for someone so young.

“The fact he recognises now it’s time for him to grow up, hats off to him and it’s not going to be perfect. I’m sure at some point that will be played back in my face or his face and said: ‘Oh, I thought you were trying to grow up Jack?’

“I think all of us that go from realising there’s some growing up to do to actually doing it, there’s going to be some teething issues.

“But I’m glad he’s recognised it’s something he needs to do.”

It comes amid a report from AFL Media that rival clubs including Sydney are circling Sam Frost given Hawthorn’s impending additions of Tom Barrass and Josh Battle casts doubt around the 31-year old defender’s spot in the side.

Mitchell said he “wouldn’t have thought” Frost would be at another club in 2025, hinting that there will still be a spot in defence for him even with the Hawks’ looming trade and free agency moves.

“I love ‘Frosty’, he is one of my favourites,” Mitchell said on SEN radio.

“There are a lot of positions on the field. I would have loved to have played Sicily and Hardwick a little bit more in different positions this year but we were just really restricted. A lot of our injuries meant that we had a limited amount of flexibility with the side.

“Josh Weddle has got some chances to move around the ground at different stages, whether that’s next year or in years to come.

“We’ve got some flexibility in the side that we haven’t been able to play with just yet. You could look at Tom Stewart and the way he’s been used this year, it’s been great coaching from (Geelong).

“We haven’t had that flexibility. We’ve done it at different stages but we need to continue to evolve our list.”

Frost, who’s contracted for next season, missed the semi-final due to a foot injury.