Jack Ginnivan's father called out as Anthony Albanese cops backlash over Hawthorn finals move

The AFL Footy Show crew have taken a light-hearted dig at Jack Ginnivan's father Craig and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for "inserting themselves" into the Hawthorn celebrations on Friday night. The Hawks kept their premiership dream alive with a 37-point win over the Western Bulldogs to advance to a showdown with Port Adelaide in the second week of the finals.

It continued Hawthorn's remarkable resurgence after they started the year 0-5, and plenty of supporters have come out of the woodwork now they're winning. Prime Minister Albanese was one of a number of famous faces in the Hawks' rooms after the victory, along with swimming champion Ariarne Titmus.

Albanese has been a big Hawks fan for a number of years, but copped the wrath of the Sunday Footy Show crew for basking in the glory of their win. The PM was spotted by Brian Taylor of Channel 7 and asked a few questions in the sheds after the game, and said he was rapt for the players and coach Sam Mitchell.

But speaking on the Footy Show on Sunday, AFL great Nathan Brown said it "sickened him" to see Albo in the rooms. In a light-hearted segment full of jest, Brown said: “I feel like the Prime Minister, this was for the good of himself going into the Hawthorn rooms. This sickens me.

“Anthony Albanese, he had a look at the polls and he thought Peter Dutton is closing, he’s in front, there’s a gap. He feels like ‘I need to look like a common man. I’m going to go into the Hawthorn rooms’. Give it up, Albo, no-one is buying it.”

Co-host Tony Jones said: “These are people that try to insert themselves into finals football when maybe they should stay in their lane.” The veteran media man had also criticised the PM when he joined in on the Hawthorn victory song after a game earlier this season.

“I was almost sick yesterday when I looked at the Hawthorn club song and there front and centre was the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese,” Jones said. “He has no interest in AFL. And there he was there … he’s got the scarf around … just go away. Seriously, when will Prime Ministers learn to stay in your lane and that’s normally in the House of Representatives.”

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Jack Ginnivan's father spotted lapping up Hawthorn celebrations

On Sunday, Kane Cornes also poked fun at the antics of Craig Ginnivan, who made sure he got his face on TV in the background of an interview with James Sicily. The Hawks captain was being interviewed by Fox Footy when the father of Jack Ginnivan got into camera-shot and started celebrating the win.

While all in jest, Cornes said Jack had enough on his plate to be worrying about what his dad was doing in the sheds. "If Jack hadn't created enough headlines, you've just got to hand it to his old man Craig. He's just gone 'we haven't been in the headlines enough, so I'm going to have to insert myself even more'."

Cornes was referencing Jack's trip to the pub on Thursday night, which raised eyebrows because it was just 24 hours before Hawthorn's game. Some suggested it was a bad look (especially considering the controversy created when Ginnivan went to the races the night before the 2023 grand final with Collingwood), but Mitchell gave it the tick of approval and said he didn't have any issue with it. Ginnivan wasn't drinking alcohol and was home by 9pm.