Collingwood has been praised for its handling of youngster Jack Ginnivan after reports emerged that he’d been reprimanded over an ill-advised night out following a match.
Ginnivan was spoken to by his senior leaders after visiting a bar with friends following his Anzac Day heroics, which saw him named the Anzac Day Medallist.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae confirmed the reports, praising his senior players for their handling of the matter, revealing that he’d also spoken to the teenager about his exuberant goal celebrations on Anzac Day where he silenced the Essendon crowd.
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“I like clear boundaries, and one clear boundary was that in a six-day break we don’t do this (going out for drinks),” he told SEN.
“I think we approached it well and I think our leaders dealt with it really well.
“I love that when we kick a goal, it’s our goal. So after the Anzac Day game, I just said to Jack, ‘Hey look, find a balance between celebrating your goals, and well done for executing the skill, but it’s our goal. So when we get a goal celebrate with your teammates’.”
McRae was praised by former Essendon captain Matthew Lloyd, who suggested the club simply had the 19-year-old’s long-term future at heart.
“I love that from Craig McRae,” he told Nine’s Footy Classified.
“There’s a lot of people being critical … but I think the second-year blues are there for a reason. You’d be amazed how many guys have poor seasons because either the competition works you out or you get comfortable.
“They’re setting the standards for Jack Ginnivan to play 200 games. There’s a lot of flash in the pans. I’ve seen so many players who have tried to live a lifestyle and they’re spat out of the system within a couple of years versus guys who know what they’re doing and can play 200 games and have a great career.
“They’re setting some strong boundaries for Jack, because to me, he looks like that knockabout (character), and we love that for him, but it can also hinder him across the journey.
“He looks like he’s come in and he’s still very raw around the edges and they’re trying to coach him into being what a professional looks like.”
Former AFL coach Ross Lyon also backed McRae’s judgement, suggesting it was likely the teenager had knowingly broken a team rule.
“I can guarantee you before he left his last game the coach or the leaders would’ve said, ‘It’s a short week, everyone let’s look after ourselves’, that would’ve been addressed,” he told Footy Classified.
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“My view is he thumbed his nose at what was put to him. They wouldn’t have just let him roll out with no reminder.
“You know it’s a short week, he would’ve known. It’s hard to become a pro but it’s not that big of an ask. It’s not complicated here.”