Kane Cornes doubles down on Jack Ginnivan pre-season swipe

Kane Cornes has continued his criticism of Hawthorn recruit Jack Ginnivan over his absence from the club’s pre-season training.

Kane Cornes has doubled down on his Ginnivan criticism. Photo: Sarah Keen and Michael Klein

Kane Cornes doubled down on his swipe at Hawthorn recruit Jack Ginnivan after he skipped the club’s first week of the pre-season.

Ginnivan joined the club he supported as a child but was not required at training as the off-season began, with first to fourth-year players returning to training.

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Ginnivan was not contractually required to be there, despite being new to the team.

But it’s not an uncommon sight for players to return before they’re required to and Port Adelaide 300-gamer Kane Cornes believes he should have made an appearance.

Cornes pointed to the likes of Dylan Stephens, who moved from the Swans to North Melbourne during the trade period, but turned up anyway and won the running test.

He added the likes of Jy Simpkin, Liam Shiels, Dyson Heppell, Todd Goldstein and many other experienced stars, including James Sicily, Dylan Moore and James Worpel from Hawthorn also turned up despite not needing to.

On Thursday, the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph tweeted: “Ginnivan had played five weeks of footy more this season than the Hawks boys so Sam Mitchell directed him to have another week off for a physical and mental break. Back next week to start training. It wasn’t his call.”

While the Hawks finished 16th and ended their season in August, Ginnivan was part of the Magpies’ premiership winning side.

Kane, you should remember what it’s like. Picture by Michael Klein

Kane and Chad Cornes lift the 2004 Premiership Cup.

The explanation from Ralph didn’t go down well with Cornes however, as he doubled down.

“Five extra weeks? Do you mean 3 extra games in which he played 13% and 25% game time in two of those weeks?” Cornes said.

“I’m sure they wouldn’t have turned him away if he insisted on turning up … Would have been a nice first impression.”

Five extra weeks? Do you mean 3 extra games in which he played 13% and 25% game time in two of those weeks? I'm sure they wouldn't have turned him away if he insisted on turning up... Would have been a nice first impression.

— Kane Cornes (@kanecornes) November 16, 2023

As fans quickly made clear in the replies, the “five extra weeks” includes five weeks around the club, training sessions, recovery and being mentally prepared to play or do whatever the team requires.

Although Ginnivan was a sub in the first two finals, he started the grand final, while the Herald Sun reported that he was one of the hardest workers at training throughout the second half of the season.

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell confirmed Ralph’s side of the story, saying he wanted to ensure Ginnivan was in the best possible shape for the season.

Ginnivan was one of the shock trades of the off-season and while he’s professed to there being no bad blood with his former club, there was plenty of talk of the 21-year-old’s off-field behaviour as “red flags”.

Ginnivan was banned for two match after he admitted using an illicit substance in January, and was at Moonee Valley races on the day before the grand final.

Those incidents reportedly became the catalyst for the move.

While Ginnivan departed Collingwood as a premiership player, he didn’t achieve the same heights as his 2022 season – finishing 2023 ranked poor for forward half pressure points, below average for disposals, forward 50 ground ball gets and score involvement, and average for goals.

But this was after the Magpies had brought in this season’s Norm Smith Medallist Bobby Hill before the 2023 season, while the acquisition of Lachie Schultz from Fremantle during the trade period essentially rubber stamped Ginnivan’s exit from the club.

Kane has taken aim. Picture SARAH REED

Jack Ginnivan in a Hawthorn jumper fir the first time.

Cornes argued on SEN earlier in the week that it would have been a smart move for Ginnivan to make the effort to be there to show his new team he’d turned a corner.

“Jack Ginnivan needed to be there, I don’t care what anyone says,” Cornes said.

“He wasn’t required to be there by law because he played long in the season, he played in the Grand Final. That means you get extra leave and he’s probably not required back for some time yet.

“But if you were ever going to want to have a first impression, Jack Ginnivan needed to be at his new club on day one of pre-season.”

He added: “His workload hasn’t been big, he doesn’t need the extra break.

“He’s 20 years of age. He’s played 42 games, a lot of those were as the sub.

“It’s not as if he is Scott Pendlebury who needs a rest, it’s Jack Ginnivan.

“I just would have thought I would have loved for him to be out there in good shape.

“I would have planned my overseas trip so that I was back on day one of pre-season. I think it would have been a huge boost for his teammates to see him out there.

“He needs a big pre-season and he needed to make a statement.

“It’s certainly not a hanging offence, I’m not going to hold it against him, but I was just a little bit disappointed that he wasn’t there.

“I just think there’s only so much help we can give Jack and I think that the penny’s going to have to drop at some point.

“I’m not sure it’s quite dropped yet.”

Originally published as Kane Cornes doubles down on Jack Ginnivan pre-season swipe