Jack Ginnivan photo detail divides AFL world before Hawthorn blockbuster

Hawthorn forward Jack Ginnivan has raised eyebrows with a public appearance the night before his club’s biggest game in years.

A circus has unfolded over Jack Ginnivan’s night-out ahead of the Hawks’ blockbuster elimination final on Friday night.

The Hawthorn star was seen at a Melbourne watering hole on Thursday night, watching Geelong’s big win over Port Adelaide with a group of friends, the football club said to reporters.

Multiple reports on Thursday night stated Ginnivan had ben given approval by Hawks coach Sam Mitchell to watch the game at a local pub in Richmond.

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The scene raised eyebrows because of the storm that surrounded Ginnivan’s decision to attend a race meeting in Melbourne on the eve of Collingwood’s grand final victory last year.

Ginnivan’s quiet night at the London Tavern was one of the headline stories presented during journalist Mitch Cleary’s half time news update on Thursday night.

The innocent outing divided footy fans on social media with some scoffing at the storm in a tea cup.

Jack Ginnivan was spotted at a Melbourne watering hole. Photo: Twitter.

One particular detail stoked further debate with Ginnivan photographed by one punter holding a glass with a brown liquid.

That came after Cleary reported on Seven that Ginnivan “was on the waters”.

The football club has told reporters it was soft drink in Ginnivan’s glass.

The footballer laughed off the speculation about the colour of his drink and closed the book on the situation with a cheeky photo shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Ginnivan responded to SEN journalist Sam Edmund by sharing an image of a cup of tea — which was posted at 9.13pm (AEST).

💤 pic.twitter.com/Ufs4blI2c9

— Jack Ginnivan (@GinnivanJack) September 5, 2024

The Herald Sun reported Ginnivan was out with his housemates and they simply had dinner at the establishment before returning home after the first half of the Cats game.

North Melbourne legend Corey McKernan on on Thursday night defended Ginnivan and supported his decision to stick with his routine. He said it was something his former premiership-winning coach Denis Pagan encouraged his players to do.

“I was at Royal Melbourne show night before the 96 GF and came out and had 31 possessions,” McKernan wrote on Twitter.

“Denis Pagan gem - follow your usual routine - if you always go out and be social - then keep doing it ( just not that social!) Though upside down on gravitron not ideal.”

Ginnivan, 21, will run out onto the MCG with teammates on Friday night in front of 90,000 fans.

The big occasion is not something Mitchell’s current squad is familiar with.

The third-year coach said experience with big crowds in MCG clashes against Richmond and Carlton this season would create “one less unknown” for the Hawks in Friday night’s elimination final as he conceded there would be nerves from players and coaches alike.

“I feel like I should be nervous, but I’m not yet … it’s likely to escalate over the next 48 hours,” Mitchell said on Wednesday.

“I suspect there will be 90,000 or thereabouts at the game, and the fact we’ve done that before – it’s one less unknown.

“We’ve played in front of some big crowds – are we experienced as (Western Bulldogs), no … but we have some level of confidence.

“We do our best to share (finals experiences), but we also have to bring it back to (how) it’s still just a game of football at the MCG.”

Originally published as Jack Ginnivan photo detail divides AFL world before Hawthorn blockbuster