AFL trade period: Hawks swoop for premiership player Jack Ginnivan on deadline day
Collingwood premiership player Jack Ginnivan’s move to Hawthorn has been confirmed on the final day of the AFL trade period.
The dynamic small forward dropped a bombshell on Tuesday with his management telling the Magpies he wanted to be traded, less than three weeks after playing in the club’s 16th VFL/AFL premiership.
The deal was completed on Wednesday, hours before the 7.30pm trade deadline.
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“We couldn’t be happier that Jack wanted to come to Hawthorn – a club he’s loved since he was a kid,” Hawks list boss Mark McKenzie said. “We love the way he goes about his footy, he’s a clever forward that hits the scoreboard and generates a lot of energy on the field.
“Having just won a premiership at 20 years of age, we believe he’s only scratched the surface of his potential. We can’t wait to see just how high he can elevate his game at Hawthorn in the years to come.”
Collingwood gained future second and third-round picks as part of the deal, while the Hawks received Ginnivan as well as future second and fourth-round picks.
Hawthorn, who finished 16th this year, have lost young forward Tyler Brockman to West Coast and will be without veteran goalsneak Chad Wingard for most of 2024, making Ginnivan an attractive proposition.
After a turbulent 12 months for Ginnivan, he moves to Hawthorn despite having one year left to run on his Collingwood contract.
The switch comes after the Magpies beefed up their small forward stocks with the acquisition of Lachie Schultz from Fremantle earlier in the week. Schultz joined Norm Smith medallist Bobby Hill and fellow premiership player Beau McCreery at Collingwood, effectively squeezing Ginnivan out.
Collingwood list boss Graham Wright denied reports Ginnivan was shopped around to rival clubs and said the Magpies were “a little bit surprised” when the player’s trade request was handed in.
Wright also played down reports Ginnivan to not respond well to coach Craig McRae’s comments that the 20-year-old should have “read the room” after he attended the races the night before the grand final.
“I think that’s been a little bit overblown. Players can pick and choose what they want to do,” Wright said. “It’s a little bit unusual, obviously, the day before the grand final, but it wasn’t the end of the world either.”
Former top-10 draft picks Paddy Dow and Nick Coffield also found new clubs on deadline day as part of a four-way transaction. Dow has moved from Carlton to St Kilda, while Coffield has left the Saints for the Western Bulldogs.
Essendon were also involved in the deal, with a swap of draft picks paving the way for it to get done. The Bombers improved this year’s draft hand as a result, receiving pick 35 and a future fourth-round selection. They gave up pick 52 and a future third-round pick.
Port Adelaide also landed a trade target, with ruckman Ivan Soldo crossing from Richmond. The Power gave up picks 41 and 49, as well as a future second-round pick tied to Fremantle and future fourth-round pick, in exchange for Soldo and pick 50.