Mark Robinson: Why disillusioned Jack Ginnivan wants out of Collingwood

Barely an hour after Collingwood’s premiership, Craig McRae expressed disappointment in Jack Ginnivan attending the races at Moonee Valley. It wasn’t their last conversation about the issue.

Jack Ginnivan has requested a trade out of Collingwood. Picture: Getty Images

Jack Ginnivan was supposed to be basking in the glory of being a premiership player, yet dark clouds settled over him pretty damn quickly.

Barely an hour after Collingwood’s triumph, coach Craig McRae expressed disappointment in Ginnivan attending the races at Moonee Valley the night before with a mate who had a horse racing.

Ginnivan was at home at the time and with youthful exuberance he thought why not.

McRae doubled down a few days later, albeit he tried to be open-minded.

The coach didn’t nail Ginnivan to the cross, but you have to wonder if he would’ve been so open-minded if the Magpies lost the grand final.

Perhaps then he would’ve had a mallet in his hand.

Ginnivan is an individual, a rascal if you like, in a team environment and coaches frown when they believe an individual has put himself above the team ethos.

Would any other player at Collingwood — or any player at any other club to be frank — venture to the track the night before the biggest game of their lives?

Ginnivan naively thought of himself ahead of the team.

It wasn’t smart. Not even for a young man of 20. At that age, he should’ve known what’s acceptable and not acceptable for a professional footballer.

Jack Ginnivan is exploring a trade out of Collingwood. Picture: Getty Images

Young men need rope in this crazy modern world, but Ginnivan stretched that rope to breaking point.

It was written last week there was tension between Ginnivan and Collingwood.

His management denied it, and Collingwood as recently as Monday said he would remain a Collingwood player.

Still, as well as twice dressing down Ginnivan publicly, McRae read part of the riot act to him privately.

McRae is a cuddler, but as Nathan Buckley recently noted, McRae is also a fierce competitor.

And competitors want discipline and commitment. When you’re a coach, they want a team-first attitude.

Ginnivan was, friends say, confused by the fallout and clearly it has played a role in him wanting out of Collingwood.

The Valley visit was ticked off by Magpies chief executive Craig Kelly, yet the coach took umbrage.

It might’ve ended there, except Ginnivan and the Valley people took advantage of the negative publicity.

Ginnivan was signed up to be Cox Plate ambassador.

It’s believed he was paid $10,000 for the photo op, of him wearing silks and cradling the Cox Plate trophy.

It wasn’t so much a finger to the coach, but by then it’s safe to assume that Ginnivan didn’t care or consider how the Pies would respond to the “me, me, me” publicity.

And they did.

Coincidence maybe, but Collingwood went after Fremantle’s Lachie Schultz — and landed him — and, guess what, he plays the same forward role as Ginnivan.

Craig McRae was unimpressed with Jack Ginnivan’s decision to go to the races the night before the grand final. Picture: Getty Images

Maybe he didn’t read the room when he went to the races, but Ginnivan clearly read the room when Schultz signed.

He is now exploring a possible trade to Hawthorn.

As much as Collingwood was disappointed in Ginnivan for his pre grand final adventure, Ginnivan lost faith after the mixed messages from the Magpies.

And he was piqued by the dressing down from McRae.

Friends say the relationship between Ginnivan and McRae isn’t what it was.

It seems highly unlikely the Pies will strive to keep him.

In some ways, and despite his popularity with teammates and fans, he will now be Hawthorn’s problem child.

And until he pulls his head in and accepts that a professional footballer must have boundaries, he will remain a problem child.

Originally published as Mark Robinson: Why disillusioned Jack Ginnivan wants out of Collingwood