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Hawks recruit explains bizarre celebration amid impressive burst; Young Dog now a R1 lock: The 3-2-1

Hawthorn recruit Jack Ginnivan has put on a show for his new team and a goal celebration has raised eyebrows.

Jack Jovanovski and David Zita
3 min read
March 3, 2024 - 9:20AM
The Western Bulldogs were too good for the Hawks on Saturday night.
The Western Bulldogs were too good for the Hawks on Saturday night.

Hawthorn recruit Jack Ginnivan starred for the Hawks, while the Western Bulldogs’ tall timber was prolific during the clubs’ final pre-season tune-up, which saw the Dogs prevail 17.17 (119) to 9.8 (62).

Ginnivan, the premiership-winning ex-Magpie, scored two goals from four scoring shots in the first half and was his typical lively self, buzzing around Hawthorn’s new-look forward line.

The Bulldogs started the game quickly, leading by five points at quarter-time after kicking two of the game’s first three goals.

The majors belonged to star-studded forward pair Aaron Naughton (four total goals for the game) and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (four), while Cam Mackenzie was Hawthorn’s sole goalkicker in the first term.

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In the second quarter, though, it was all Ginnivan, as he slotted a beautiful snap early in the second quarter to tie the scores at 19.

“Don’t they love him already!” exclaimed commentator Dwayne Russell.

They were loving him even more after he dodged a defender and slotted his second major in similar snapping fashion.

“He’s enjoying life in the brown and gold early,” said caller Kelli Underwood.

Key forward Mitch Lewis added two goals of his own in the second quarter to push Hawthorn’s lead to 17 at half-time.

Fox Footy’s Garry Lyon described the Dogs’ second quarter performance as “really disappointing” as they were left chasing the Hawks in the second half.

However, a “topsy-turvy” clash saw another turn as the Bulldogs piled on eight goals to Hawthorn’s two in the third quarter to snatch a 19-point lead at the final change.

The Bulldogs continued their dominance in the fourth stanza, slamming on another seven goals — unanswered — on their way to a convincing 57-point victory.

Young gun Ryley Sanders notched 30 disposals, which trailed only skipper Marcus Bontempelli (32) to lead the Dogs.

Jai Newcombe’s 37 possessions led the way for the Hawks, who ran out of puff in the second half at UTAS Stadium.

Coming into this contest, dual premiership Kangaroo David King urged Dogs coach Luke Beveridge to give emerging talls Sam Darcy and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan more responsibility in 2024.

“Luke Beveridge has got, in my opinion, the best set of talls going around that he’s had for some time,” King told Fox Footy’s First Crack season preview. “He’s not going to get a better set than Tim English, Sam Darcy, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Aaron Naughton, Liam Jones down back.

“I’m really excited about where they can go with Sam Darcy … It’s time to make, I think, Naughton a secondary or tertiary product in terms of your targets in the forward 50. Give Darcy and Jamarra the reins.”

The Hawks said second-year star Josh Weddle had been managed from the fixture, along with Jack Gunston and Harry Morrison.

“Given this is a practice match, we have decided to take no risks with these players as we eagerly prepare for our clash with Essendon in Round 1,” Hawthorn football boss Rob McCartney said on Friday.

GINNIVAN HEADS UP HOPEFUL HAWKS

Jack Ginnivan treated Hawks fans to an early glimpse of what to expect in 2024.

While it came about late, the move to the Hawks made sense for Ginnivan, with the 21-year-old joining a side that is developing alongside him.

The Western Bulldogs were too good for the Hawks on Saturday night.
The Western Bulldogs were too good for the Hawks on Saturday night.

It may only be pre-season, but Ginnivan did enough to suggest he’ll fit right in at his second club.

The Hawks’ rapid counterattacks fed right into the hands of Ginnivan, who was superb in the second quarter as the Hawks mounted a comeback.

Dwayne Russell observed on Fox Footy that Ginnivan acted almost like one of the side’s “generals” in the second term, helping spearhead an attack that was lively and caused some headaches for the Dogs.

“Whether it was Luke Breust or Ginnivan or Watson, the three of them were up high and they were using the ball well off half-back, but then running again and creating and being involved in the play right throughout,” Brad Johnson said.

Where the Hawks struggled afterwards, Ginnivan too was quiet, suggesting the livewire forward could be a barometer of sorts for the side this year.

“For Jack, he’d be looking at the second quarter and go ‘it’s a whole different ball game when we can get it moving and it’s the overlap and it’s quick, I’ll find space, Watson will find space and Breust will find space’,” Lyon said.

“After halftime it became pretty hard because centre-bounce was 8-1 in that second quarter, they weren’t getting a look.

“I think he’s a great recruit.”

The youngster also offered puzzled fans an explanation for his ‘stirring the pot’ celebration post-game.

“It’s a bit of carry on. One of my mates owns an acai bowl place so I was just stirring the pot for him,” he told Fox Footy’s Ben Dixon.

Originally published as Hawks recruit explains bizarre celebration amid impressive burst; Young Dog now a R1 lock: The 3-2-1

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Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/sport/afl/hawks-recruit-explains-bizarre-celebration-amid-impressive-burst-young-dog-now-a-r1-lock-the-321/news-story/41494070ea40097135d88d0d9d3e06f5