Former Magpie Jack Ginnivan has shed further details on his exit meeting with Collingwood that led to his trade to Hawthorn.
Ahead of his first meeting against his old side last week, Ginnivan on the Tommy Talks podcast opened up on his “eye-opening” exit meeting with former coach Craig McRae after the club’s premiership win that convinced the 21-year old his future was elsewhere.
Speaking on Channel 7’s Talking Footy on Wednesday night, Ginnivan provided greater insights into how that conversation went down.
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“It was a difficult exit meeting to hear. Sort of words of not being humble, which I took to heart a bit because I think I’m a pretty humble person,” Ginnivan sand on Channel 7.
“When you hear things like that from your ex-coach, it becomes a bit of writing on the wall.
“It was a pretty short (conversation), about 10 minutes and obviously I didn’t play my best game in the grand final. It was a hard preparation for me, I played one (full) game in five weeks so obviously (he said) things about that I didn’t play that well.
“I thought my preparation couldn’t have been any better, I was just unlucky with three sub-games as well (in the lead into the grand final).”
Ginnivan, who booted two goals against the Pies in Gather Round as Hawthorn’s epic second-half comeback just fell short, said he never anticipated leaving Collingwood and that the weeks after the grand final were a whirlwind.
“When you’re coming into the AFL, you don’t think you’re going to change clubs or anything like that, and especially when you win a grand final,” Ginnivan said.
“When I won the grand final, it was all a bit of a blur, and then I went to Bali with a few mates.
“The trade period is so close (to the end of the season) because we won the grand final, so it was only two or three weeks (before the trade). The phone calls were happening when I was in Bali and then it all happened.
“It’s such a weird thing (to get traded) when you win a grand final, but ultimately now, I couldn’t be happier at the Hawks, and I’ve loved my time there so far.”
It came after Ginnivan sensationally attended the Mooney Valley races last year the night before the grand final — an act questioned by key Collingwood figures including McRae and Darcy Moore — before the polarising small foward was ultimately traded to Hawthorn.
Ginnivan admitted if he had his time again he’d “be staying home because it’s an easier option,” with his only regret the potential that it was a distraction for his former teammates and ex-club at large.
“The only thing that I regret from going to the races is if it affected anyone else pre-game, or if it affected the coaches or players,” he added.
“For me personally, I didn’t think it was that big of an issue for myself because I knew, wherever I was, whether I was out for dinner, with a mate, if I was at home sitting on the couch, I’d be doing the same thing.
“For me to get out, talk to some people and relax before the game was (what I needed).”
McRae after Collingwood’s win over Hawthorn said the club had “great love and respect” for Ginnivan, wishing him good luck for the rest of the year.
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