AFL greats sledge Jack Ginnivan over pre-game ritual

Hawthorn livewire Jack Ginnivan has been sledged by AFL greats for a unique pre-game ritual at the SCG that raised some eyebrows.

Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan pre-game ritual before Friday night’s win over the Sydney Swans garnered a few chuckles from commentators.

The Hawks defeated the Swans 14.12 (96) to 11.10 (76) in the first game of the AFL season, continuing their hot form from the back half of last year.

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As Fox Footy kicked off their pre-game coverage at the SCG, the cameras captured Ginnivan reading Jim Murphy’s book Inner Excellence.

The book, which was the tagline “Train your mind for extraordinary performance and the best possible life”, went viral in sporting circles when Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown was spotted reading it on the sidelines after a touchdown in the NFL wildcard round earlier this year.

Ginnivan even had colour coded page markers poking out the side as he flicked through the book while walking across the SCG and sitting on a chair on the sideline.

Garry Lyon said on Fox Footy: “How much work can you do in a pre-season? You jam so much in, Jack Ginnivan just moments ago we saw him come onto the ground and he’s still swotting up. What’s this all about?”

Watch Jack Ginnivan’s pre-game ritual in the video above

Jack Ginnivan gets some light reading done pre-game.

Jason Dunstall quipped: “Nothing wrong with players wanting to improve themselves. One of those magnificent self help books.”

Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said: “It’s not exactly showing initiative. AJ Brown read that exact same book in the wildcard round on January 12th before the Philadelphia Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl.

“So it might be a great omen?”

Lyon joked to Hawthorn great Jordan Lewis: “Jordan you said that’s upside down.”

“I was never one to read a book pre-game like Jack Ginnivan,” Lewis said.

“But hey, the players are different. Bucks coached this kid. If he comes out and performs, I think there’ll be copies sent to his locker.”

He even had colour coded tabs. Photo: Fox Footy.

Ginnivan isn’t the only sportsperson to be sledged for bring a book to a game.

NBA superstar Nikola Jokic couldn’t believe his eyes when French whiz kid Victor Wembanyama brought a book into the locker room at last month’s NBA All-Star game.

Ginnivan was booed by the SCG crowd in during Sydney’s one-point win over Collingwood in the 2022 preliminary final.

He won a premiership with Collingwood in 2023 before moving to Hawthorn, where he emerged as a key member of their mosquito fleet forward line last season.

In Friday’s season opener against the Swans, Ginnivan had 16 disposals and the Hawks won comfortably despite he and fellow small forward Nick Watson not hitting the scoreboard.

James Sicily and Jack Ginnivan celebrates the win over the Swans. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Hawthorn led by as much as 27 throughout the third quarter before the Swans went on a four-goal charge to set up a scintillating fourth quarter in front of 40,310 at the SCG.

The rain came down hard in the final term as conditions turned on their head, with Hawthorn able to lift another gear, restricting Sydney to just five behinds as their defence shut down the Swans when it mattered the most.

They came out on top 14.12 (96) to 11.10 (76) as they look to build on a semi final appearance for last year, resigning Sydney to a loss in its first game under the care of new coach Dean Cox.

GWS take on Collingwood in the other AFL match of the weekend on Sunday afternoon.

— With NewsWire

Originally published as AFL greats sledge Jack Ginnivan over pre-game ritual