Parallels between Josh Rachele and Jack Ginnivan are stark and the Crows should be worried | Carl Pfeiffer
There are many similarities between Josh Rachele and enigmatic Hawthorn forward Jack Ginnivan, Carl Pfeiffer writes. And that should have the Crows worried.
Opinion
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There’s plenty of parallels between Jack Ginnivan and Josh Rachele.
Much like Rachele, enigmatic Hawthorn forward Ginnivan loves a flashy goal and exuberant celebration.
Two of the competition’s most watchable entertainers, the young pair are fresh off both making the AFL’s 22 under 22 team of the year.
They are also both protagonists who know how to stir up controversy – the type of villains opposition fans loathe.
Both have been questioned for their on-field antics – Ginnivan’s head ducking of tackles and Rachele’s shirking of contests.
Seemingly out of favour at the Crows after being dropped for the last game of the season, Rachele faces an eerily similar crossroads to the one Ginnivan experienced only 11 months earlier.
Fresh off a premiership in 2023, Collingwood decided to let Ginnivan walk because of his off-field antics, including a white powder scandal, and the club’s abundance of small forwards.
Ginnivan himself says he knew he had to leave the Magpies after coach Craig McRae called him out for going to the horse races the night before the 2023 AFL grand final.
Enter Hawthorn, who’s coach Sam Mitchell identified Ginnivan’s enormous potential and the Hawks swooped, acquiring him for almost nothing.
In his first year in the brown and gold, the 20-year-old has evolved to become one of the most exciting players in the competition this season.
Mitchell has created an environment at Hawthorn which allows players to express themselves, resulting in the team’s box office goal celebrations and breezy post-match group selfies.
It has allowed the team and Ginnivan to thrive, with the Hawks currently surging towards an unlikely premiership heist this season.
The difference between Rachele and Ginnivan’s current situations is stark.
‘Ginni’ has the full support of his teammates to express himself how he likes, whereas Rachele, as evidence of teammate Rory Laird’s comments yesterday, clearly does not.
Laird said Rachele’s now infamous pre-match ‘toothless’ barb to Port Adelaide supporters and subsequent Showdown ‘teeth’ goal celebration were “misaligned” with the team.
The Adelaide veteran also suggested Rachele should “let his footy do the talking”.
Laird making these comments publicly shows there is clear internal disharmony within the Crows about some of the 21-year-old’s behaviour.
Coach Matthew Nicks said Rachele was axed this week for his failure to uphold the “values” and “standards” of the side.
He said Rachele needed to focus on a more “team first” approach.
Clearly the values at the Crows vary from the ones at Hawthorn.
The culture created at the Hawks has seen them surge into finals contention and made them one of the most watchable sides in the AFL this season.
Meanwhile the Crows are languishing in the bottom four after wasting a season where many had them tipped to contend for the flag.
Both knockabout larrikins from country Victoria, Rachele and Ginnivan possess many of the same traits.
It’s now up to the Crows to create an environment where Rachele, like Ginnivan, can thrive or risk losing him to a team that does.
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