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Find your frequency hereAntics aside: Ginnivan commended for major turn of form
Jaiden Sciberras • June 8th, 2025 4:45 pm
Jack Ginnivan stole the headlines from the Hawks’ big win over the Dogs; however, it may not be for the reasons he deserves.
The 22-year-old sealed the deal against the Dogs with 14 minutes left in the game, showing the ball in jest as he ran into an open goal to put the Hawks up by 27 points.
While the typically frowned-upon action was certain to capture the limelight, Josh Gabelich believes it’s taken away from what should be positive press on Ginnivan’s recent form.
Since being dropped by the Hawks in Round 6, Ginnivan has seen a major spike in form, averaging over 20 disposals and nearly two goals a game across his last seven games.
“All the focus post-game around Jack Ginnivan has been around the taunting, the way he kicked his final goal of that game and the look away, ‘look at me’ sort of moment,” Gabelich told SEN Crunch Time.
“Who cares! I want to focus on how he’s responded since he was dropped across Easter.
“If you think back to that time, he was preparing to play a game at GMHBA Stadium in front of a few hundred people instead of playing that Easter Monday blockbuster against Geelong.
“He lasted one game at Box Hill, his attitude and his performance that day got him straight back into the team.
“You look at his last seven games since coming back in; 13 goals, he’s averaging 21 disposals, all his metrics are up, score involvements up to seven, he’s had a big two months since then.
“Clearly it was the right decision, great coaching by Sam Mitchell to send him back. He was out of form; his spot was on the line from opening round until he was dropped a month later.
“I just think we need to focus on what he’s doing well because there’s so much focus on Jack Ginnivan, the off field, the drama, all that sort of stuff that comes with him.
“That’s part of the package with Jack Ginnivan, that’s what makes him a good player. I love the theatre, but I also love the on-field form of him because it’s sustained now across the last seven rounds.”
Speaking on Ginnivan’s outgoing personality, Essendon legend Scott Lucas believes that the AFL world needs to cool off on criticism directed at characters within the game.
“We just keep contradicting ourselves, don’t we,” Lucas added.
“We want characters in the game, then we criticise characters. Then players don’t talk, and we need more access to players, but if you don’t say what we want you to say, well then, we don’t like that.
“We’ve got to make up our mind. Let everyone be everyone!
“That’s the story out of Thursday night; the block of form that Jack Ginnivan has been able to produce in a team that hasn’t been performing adds further to the merit of it.
“He’s always going to do that stuff (show character), that’s just him!”
Hawthorn’s win on Thursday will see the side maintain their place in the top eight, with an almighty challenge against the Crows next Friday night.
