Missed Jack Ginnivan gesture comes to light as AFL greats call out Brayden Maynard incident
Brayden Maynard could find himself in trouble after Collingwood's loss.
A supporter's footage of Jack Ginnivan winding up the Collingwood faithful has come to light as two AFL greats call out Brayden Maynard's stray forearm on the Hawks youngster. The fallout from the Hawthorn and Collingwood clash has continued with AFL fans blasting a portion of Magpies supporters for booing Ginnivan for his antics.
A portion of Collingwood fans gave it to Ginnivan throughout the game, which angered rival supporters because Magpies fans blasted rival fanbases for targeting the 21-year-old prodigy when he was wearing the black and white. This time around, Ginnivan was up to his usual antics as he kissed the Hawthorn badge after his first goal.
Then in front of 74,171 fans, Ginnivan gestured it was bedtime for Collingwood after his second goal of the night. And now, footage has emerged of Ginnivan giving it to the fans away from the broadcast cameras.
After walking up to the Collingwood diehards having scored a goal, footage showed Ginnivan provoking the crowd with a hand gesture, which enraged supporters who all jumped out of their seat. There is no doubt Ginnivan thrived at the MCG as he mocked his former club's fanbase. However, many feel a portion of Collingwood fans took it too far having defended Ginnivan in the past for similar antics. Plenty felt Ginnivan's confidence adds to the spectacle whenever he plays.
night night 😚 https://t.co/S0sPDRaPw4 pic.twitter.com/qhpw94oulh
— zeinab 🍉 (@ZeinabElayoubi) July 20, 2024
Brayden Maynard cops backlash over forearm
While Ginnivan copped plenty of attention for his on-field antics towards the fans, former teammate Maynard let the Hawthorn star know he wasn't going to take any of it. During the second quarter, Ginnivan went in to tackle Maynard as he collected the ball.
The Collingwood star attempted to fend off the on rushing Ginnivan, but raised his forearm and caught the Hawthorn star in the face. Maynard then disposed of the ball, before going down softly from a Hawthorn collision.
And fans were not happy. Many felt with the likes of Isaac Heeney copping a one-game suspension in recent weeks for a stray arm, Maynard could be in trouble with the Match Review Officer. And dangerous play has been punished in 2024 with Charlie Cameron and Toby Bedford both initially receiving three week bans for controversial moments.
Matthew Lloyd and Kane Cornes call out Maynard
Speaking on Footy on Nine, former player Matthew Lloyd blasted the inconsistency in the AFL and questioned whether the tackles were any worse than Maynard's incident.
"This is where I am frustrated in the game," Lloyd said. "Because reports are he will get a fine for that. Where as you lay a good tackle and it is an accident and someone knocks there head. Where as in that situation you look to fend off, but hit him in the head. But he will be fine," Lloyd said.
Kane Cornes agreed with Lloyd and said he shouldn't get off with a fine. "He looked at him, raised his forearm and hit him in the head...ridiculous," Cornes added. Fans raged over the incident and many argued the raised forearm was worse than some recent tackles the AFL has seen that has prompted long bans.
"This is where I'm frustrated with the game."
Matthew Lloyd on Brayden Maynard's raised forearm to Jack Ginnivan, which is likely to only lead to a fine, compared to tackles being hit with bans from the MRO. #9AFLSFS | Nine & 9Now 🖥️ pic.twitter.com/Y02J3hh5p9— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) July 21, 2024
Worse than both tackles that got 3 weeks
— MJG (@pacman1072) July 20, 2024
6 weeks if they dishing out 3weeks for the perfect tackle. Book a holiday son
— DaveHarrison (@DaveHar56579413) July 20, 2024
Maynard should probably just try to play footy cos ginnivan is having the last laugh
— Daniel Power (@blista24) July 20, 2024
After the intense clash, Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell addressed the attention Ginnivan receives from rival fans and said he handles it very well as a young player. "If you think about how long it feels like he's been around - how many times he's been on the back page or there's been a story about him - he seems like he's much older," Mitchell said.
"But he's 21 years old, so he's still maturing, still growing into his footy and still learning how to handle different opposition and situations and roles."