‘Stepped over the line’: Ginnivan called out for ‘disrespecting’ finals rival as Hawks urged to act

Jack Ginnivan has been called out for “disrespecting” Port Adelaide as the Hawthorn young gun is again in the spotlight for a cheeky social media comment.

Ginnivan responded to former Collingwood teammate and Swans star Brodie Grundy’s post celebrating his side’s qualifying final win over GWS, with the Hawks forward writing: “see u in 14 days”.

Of course, Ginnivan’s Hawks first have to get through Port Adelaide in Friday night’s semi-final at Adelaide Oval, where the winner will play the Swans in a preliminary final.

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It comes after Ginnivan made headlines in the lead into the Hawks’ elimination final win over the Western Bulldogs for spending the night before at the pub, though the 21-year old reportedly didn’t consume alcohol and was home by 9pm.

The 64-gamer took to X to post a photo of his bedside table with a cup of tea and candle lit. On the Friday morning of the game he again posted on X a breaking news image with the message: “Just gone for a walk.”

Responding to Ginnivan’s latest social media comment on Grundy’s Instagram, chief Herald Sun reporter Mark Robinson believes Ginnivan has gone too far this time.

“I have no issue with him going to the pub, zero … but he’s bitten off more than he should’ve here,” Robinson said on Fox Footy’s AFL 360.

“This is about his team and he has disrespected Port Adelaide. He’ll say it’s only fun. You have your fun, but if you involved the club and your teammates, you stepped over the line.

“I suspect either Sam Mitchell or the captain or senior players have to pull him aside and say: ‘Hey Jack, you’re playing good football but you’re still immature. You’re going too far’.

“He shouldn’t have done that. You can say it’s only five words, not good enough, it’s disrespecting Port Adelaide mate.

“Not a good start to the week. You know why? Sam Mitchell will be asked about it, every Hawthorn player getting interviewed this week will be asked about it. It is a thought pattern they don’t have to deal with, now they have to.”

Melbourne great Garry Lyon backed Robinson’s take and declared it was “a big miss” on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

Ginnivan sensationally attended the races the night before last year’s grand final before he was traded by Collingwood.

Four-time premiership Hawk Luke Hodge also took issue with Ginnivan’s recent post, arguing it’s given the Power unnecessary “ammunition.”

Hawks coach Sam Mitchell on Friday night said he had no problem with Ginnivan going to the pub, but Hodge believes it’s on Hawthorn’s other leaders to pull the youngster up.

“Jack, Jack, Jack, what are you thinking?,” Hodge said on SEN’s Sportsday.

“Him going out for dinner last week … after his exit from Collingwood, probably (shouldn’t have). It was a pub, it wasn’t a restaurant, it was a pub. I probably wouldn’t have done it, but OK. Had some waters and was home at 9pm, no problems at all.

“When it comes to social media stuff, one thing you don’t do is give ammunition to the opposition. He’s having a bit of a joke, he played two years with Grundy at Collingwood. So they know each other and it’s probably a bit of banter.

“But what you do is you send banter in a text message, you don’t put it out in the open for Port Adelaide to sit there and go: ‘Let’s use this and get stuck into Ginnivan’.

“I’m not looking at Sam Mitchell to tell him not to do this, I’m looking at James Sicily, Jack Gunston, Luke Bruest and the leaders of that football club to say: ‘Finals are hard enough. Yes you had a bit of success at Collingwood’.

“But they’ve been around a long time, especially Gunston and Breust. They know how hard finals are and that passion and emotions motivate players. You don’t want to go give anything to an opponent to try and make them come out any more pumped up.”

Port 300-game legend Kane Cornes declared Ginnivan is a “distraction” and “has made it all about himself again,” suggesting Hawthorn’s strong form has papered over the cracks.

“He thinks he’s won already, he’s got to come to Adelaide on Friday night first. Is there anyone who can read the room less than Jack Ginnivan?,” Cornes said earlier on Sportsday.

“It’s all working beautifully for him at the moment, Hawthorn is embracing him and happy for him to go to the pub before a game … but when you get ahead of yourself and it may be half a per cent motivation for Poet Adelaide extra — Ginnivan thinks he’s already through to a prelim final.

“Why would he do that?

“It is not a distraction I would want as his teammate, I’d be filthy. He got the sack from Collingwood for doing something similar, it’s just bizarre.”