AFL round 19: Hawthorn leaves Collingwood premiership defence on brink with commanding win
Collingwood’s premiership defence is on the brink of being over after booting one goal in a half during a dismal loss in which ex-Magpie Jack Ginnivan came back to haunt his former side.
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As the rain soaked the MCG, it was Collingwood’s premiership defence that was washing down the drain.
Speed kills and Hawthorn’s youthful legs were just far too quick for the Magpies as one of their own pantomime villains in Jack Ginnivan triumphantly led the way in opposing colours.
By halftime it was over and midway through the third term the wake was under way – not that boisterous Hawks fans were in any mood for mourning.
In sheeting rain, the Hawks had little trouble moving the ball down the field, finding separation from their opponents and creating chances.
One of many huge worries on field for Craig McRae was the method.
Having fallen to a rope-a-dope kick-and-catch game in the past fortnight against Essendon and Geelong, the Magpies again just couldn’t get their hands on the ball.
Instead of the high mark tallies, the Hawks gobbled up the uncontested ball through handballs, having 52 more uncontested possessions, leading to 16 more inside-50s at the half.
By full time, the Hawks had racked up 146 more disposals, a genuine smashing.
“That’s not a representation of us. That was pretty ugly at times,” McRae said.
“We’re a team that’s spent a better part of two and a half years building a culture about being winners. Now we lost today and we were right on the edge of being losers. You can lose and still be winners and we’re right on the edge.
“The behaviours, and the actions, and the connection, and the system, and doing your job, and being reliable and finding 23 guys who really want to fight to the last second - that’s being a winner.”
The midfield of Jai Newcombe, Will Day and James Worpel dominated and farmed the ball out to Ginnivan, who had 21 disposals and six score involvements at halftime.
Before Saturday, Ginnivan’s career high across four quarters was 23 disposals, and he finished the day with 31, more than anyone else on the ground.
Jack Ginnivan says goodnight to the Magpies 👀#AFLHawksPiespic.twitter.com/h2OUFlpWNY
— AFL (@AFL) July 20, 2024
Jack Ginnivan what a game. Snaps the goal and kisses his Hawthorn jumper. Then the flashy celebration to match. Joy to watch. Inspired pickup. Hawks on a roll and way ahead of the rebuild curve.
— Jay Clark (@ClarkyHeraldSun) July 20, 2024
It was almost the perfect Ginnivan half: he soaked up the boos, started a wrestle with Brayden Maynard and dusted off a crude elbow from Maynard.
The only misstep was a set shot late in the second term, where he was no doubt planning his celebration as he walked in towards goal.
He finally kicked one in the third term and kissed a sponsor logo, attempting to find the Hawthorn crest, in the defining moment.
“The sense of theatre of the game was fantastic but for us it was really important that he played his role and did his job, and he did more than that. I was rapt for him,” coach Sam Mitchell said.
“It’s all come off the back of an enormous work ethic and a desire to prove that he can be a fantastic and well-rounded player, and not a flash in the plan.”
Jack Ginnivan received a free kick for this incident involving Brayden Maynard. #AFLHawksPiespic.twitter.com/HgPls1TSEn
— AFL (@AFL) July 20, 2024
He was perfectly paired by the ‘Wizard’, with Nick Watson still diminutive in stature but growing in aura by the game, while Connor Macdonald added four goals himself.
“Everyone has always been interested in ‘The Wizard’. It’s one of those personalities, he’s close to the smallest player in the league and he’s been an early draft pick,” Mitchell said.
“He’s been one of those players that everyone’s been interested in so he’s had a target on his back.
“He’s probably more adept at handling pressure than most when they come in.”
Good luck containing that trio for the next decade.
The Pies went into the main break with just one goal to their name, their worst return in a first half under McRae.
It felt like a champion boxer on his last legs taking blow after blow from a youthful slugger, waiting for the towel to be thrown in.
Unfortunately for the Pies, the towel didn’t come and things became more and more miserable in the third quarter.
Remember the Collingwood side that was so deadly and so fun to watch galloping off half-back over the last few years?
This day, they were just chasing forlornly behind brown and gold jumpers.
Not only were they quicker but the Hawks were tougher, and just simply more skillful.
They deserve to be right in the thick of the race for finals – at a certain point on Saturday the game became about boosting a lowly percentage for the Hawks.
The Magpies virtually swapped Ginnivan for Lachie Schultz over the off-season.
Schultz was sidelined this week through concussion but his best disposal tally this season was 16 and and 10 of his 15 games this year he has had 11 or less.
As Ginnivan cut the Magpies up, McRae searched for a spark forward and shifted Jordan De Goey there after Kreuger succumbed to concussion.
De Goey touched the ball once in the second term as the season washed away.
The talismanic bulldozer hasn’t been himself this year due to injury and the lengthy list of outs each week has been a valid excuse for Collingwood for much of the year.
There were only seven players missing from Collingwood’s line-up on grand final day on Saturday.
The warriors that helped build a flag-winner have largely lost a step and those asked to step up haven’t been up to it.
Each of Joe Richards, John Noble, Reef McInnes, Ned Long and Lachie Sullivan didn’t play in the grand final and none had more than two disposals in that second quarter as the tide went against the Pies.
Collingwood’s season isn’t mathematically shot just yet, and people much smarter than I have written the off in the past three years and been made to look fools.
But the Pies will need to win at least four of their last five just to be a chance to play in September and really, the season has washed away now.
Originally published as AFL round 19: Hawthorn leaves Collingwood premiership defence on brink with commanding win
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