AFL grand final: Jack Ginnivan reflects on winning his first premiership

Jack Ginnivan spent the night before the AFL grand final at the Moonee Valley races. What did his coach think about the unique preparation?

Jack Ginnivan of the Magpies celebrates after receiving his premiership medal.

Jack Ginnivan thought he’d cry when he won an AFL premiership, but the tears never came.

Maybe there had already been enough after a gruelling year fighting tooth and nail to get back into Collingwood’s senior team.

The 20-year-old revealed what he described as “challenging times” as he all but conceded his dream of returning to senior football this year had been over, before he was sensationally recalled to the Magpies’ starting 22 for the premiership decider after two months dedicated to determination in a bit to reinvigorate his young career.

“There was definitely some challenging times,” Ginnivan told this masthead.

“I remember halfway through the year, I definitely wasn’t going to get back into the side. Then there was all the trade rumours, because you’re not in the side and all that thing.

“I thought, stuff that.

“I went to the right people – the high performance, the dietitian, everyone around me, the coaches. I got better. And I came out a premiership player, so I can’t complain.”

Jack Ginnivan celebrates winning a flag. Picture: Michael Klein

Ginnivan didn’t play until Round 5 of this season, his first two rounds curtailed by an illicit drugs ban after an off-season incident before he was forced to fight his way back through the VFL as the Magpies lost just one game from their first 12.

He revealed he went “all-in on myself”.

“(It was) for probably two months there where I wasn’t in the side,” he said.

“Maybe that was the impact of why I’m in the side (now), I don’t know.”

There’d been an Under 14s flag and a reserves premiership before Saturday’s glory. They hardly compared.

“I wasn’t sad – I thought I’d be sad. Sometimes (I’m a crier) … I was in the prelim last year. But just pure happiness and it’s an overwhelming feeling,” he said.

But, as “the most talked about player”, as he put it, grand final day didn’t come without a headline or two as eyebrows were raised with Ginnivan’s brief attendance to watch a mate’s horse run at Friday night Group 1 racing at Moonee Valley the night before the big day.

Ginnivan had seven disposals in the grand final. Picture: Getty Images

It will be yet another learning curve for the young playmaker, his coach Craig McRae said.

“It’s the resilience that (Hill) has shown that Jack’s starting to live,” he said.

“You’ve got to make mistakes and learn from it and grow and get better. There’s so many stories.

“Jack’s growing up. He’s the (second) youngest player in our team. There’s going to be so much he learns from today.

“Don’t go to the races the day before would be the lesson (there), I would say.”

Didn’t like it, coach?

“Read the room, Jack,” McRae said.

“But you’ve got to grow up. You’ve got to make mistakes to learn from them. And Ginni is the youngest player in the room.

“He’s got great role models in resilience … we’ll keep trying to educate. We’re not finished. We are nowhere near finished. We’ll grow and make more mistakes and then try to get better.”

Jamie Elliott and Ginnivan with their premiership medals. Picture: Getty Images

Ginnivan finds the attention on him a bit “ridiculous” at times, crediting his passionate family for their endless support.

“I’m 20 and not an absolute star like Nick (Daicos) or someone. But it’s all fun,” he laughed.

“When you have a dad like mine who’s super proud and loves me to bits and mum that loves me to bits and family members as best friends that look after me … it makes it so special.

“I’m so grateful I get to do it for them.”