‘Penny hasn’t dropped’: Jack Ginnivan slammed over Hawks pre-season no-show

Hawthorn recruit Jack Ginnivan has been slammed for his absence at the lub’s pre-season training, despite not needing to do so contractually.

Jack Ginnivan in a Hawthorn jumper for the first time.

Hawthorn recruit Jack Ginnivan has been criticised for not appearing at the start of the club’s pre-season training, despite not needing to do so contractually.

The Collingwood premiership player, who was traded to his childhood club in the off-season, was not required to appear at the start of the Hawks’ first to fourth-year player training this week because he played deep into the finals, while the Hawks did not.

Instead players like Ginnivan are expected to return in early December.

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But amid a growing trend of players going outside their contractual requirements, paying for off-season training camps and returning to their club earlier than they’re paid to, Port Adelaide champion Kane Cornes believes Ginnivan should have appeared.

“I don’t think with Dylan (Stephens) and his experience he was required to be there, but he turned up at his new club (North Melbourne) and he won the (running) test,” Cornes said on SEN’s Sportsday.

“Jy Simpkin was there, he didn’t need to be there. Liam Shiels was out there in season number 16. I thought, ‘Good on you Liam for turning up and setting the example which is what you’re there to do’.

“At the Bombers, Dyson Heppell was there. Todd Goldstein was even there, this guy is 34 years of age.

“At the Hawks, James Sicily was there, Dylan Moore was there, and James Worpel was there, they didn’t need to be there.

“One player who wasn’t there was Jack Ginnivan.”

Given the off-field incidents which clouded Ginnivan’s 2023 campaign Cornes argued the forward needed to make a good impression at his second team.

Jack Ginnivan at Waverley Park after being traded from Collingwood.

“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 ‘Penny hasn’t dropped’: Jack Ginnivan slammed over Hawks pre-season no-show