Collingwood CEO Craig Kelly expects traded premiership player Jack Ginnivan to want to “beat us up” next season, but claims Ginnivan’s night out at the races on the eve of the grand final had nothing to do with his collapse.
Ginnivan will join Hawthorn for pre-season training soon after being transferred to the Hawks in a surprise deal last month after the Magpies acquired wantaway Docker Lachie Schultz.
The colorful little forward had a tumultuous final year at Collingwood, with a summer ban for illicit drug use and then attending the Moonee Valley races the night before the grand final.
After the Magpies defeated Brisbane to win their 16th premiership, coach Craig McRae lashed out at Ginnivan, saying he should have “read the room.” Despite this, Kelly stated on Wednesday that Ginnivan’s night out was not the reason the Magpies chose to release him.
I promise you that none of that matters. Everyone attempts to create something… “As you may have seen in another email I sent out, everyone needs to stop talking nonsense – they have no idea what they’re talking about,” Kelly said.
“It’s dangerous, it spreads, and it’s wrong.” It’s not correct.”
The first meeting between Ginnivan and his previous club will be one of the more intriguing storylines of the 2024 home-and-away season.
Kelly, a former influential player agent, praised the Magpies, led by football department boss Graham Wright, for their handling of the trade.
“Having been a manager on the other side … what we have tried to do here is be open and transparent, not only to our supporters, but our players, and all of our people who work in the club,” he said.
“The truth is, when Lachie Schultz arrived and we saw the opportunity, Wrighty and the guys had those other conversations.” I believe Jack is adored by all of us and many supporters, but the truth is that he has a four-year contract with the club (Hawthorn). When he plays against us, he will go there and try to beat us up.
“He is a ripping guy, a lovely guy we had around the club, but there is a bigger opportunity for him, and he has a four-year contract.” It worked for him, and we now have Lachie Schultz joining our program, who is elite.”
After five seasons on the list, the Magpies made another difficult decision by releasing Kelly’s son, Will. The father-son recruit appeared in five games for the Magpies, but he is likely to pique the curiosity of other clubs looking for important defensive depth.
“As difficult as it was for me to not have Will in our program, it was the right decision for the program because the people running the program, in ‘Fly’ and Wrighty, made that decision.” “I have so much respect for those two guys because they handled everything so well with me and Will,” Kelly remarked.
“I hope Will goes somewhere and has a great opportunity because I believe he has a lot of upside and a desire, and often, sometimes, you have to be sat back a little and given a push, and something has to happen in life to want you to go again.” Perhaps that has occurred to him now… I also believe that it is not a negative thing that he is not present at this club because there is a lot of stuff that I and others have done. Perhaps it’s a fantastic opportunity for him to start over.”
The Magpies announced their premiership cup tour across Australia, allowing fans to continue to partake in the September excitement.
Senior players will not officially begin pre-season training until the first week of December, but Kelly insists the club will soon move on from the celebrations, knowing there is much work to be done ahead of a tilt for back-to-back premierships, a feat Kelly’s own 1990 premiership side failed to accomplish and the Magpies have not done in nearly 90 years.
Aside from list revisions and the addition of soon-to-be draftees, there have already been modifications in the coaching and fitness settings, and the netball court at the Magpies’ indoor training facility will shortly be replaced with artificial grass. There will be more changes to ensure, as Kelly called it, “ongoing professional growth.”
“I believe there will come a time when we must end the [celebration] conversation.” “I know the guys will come back to a whole new club – a whole new look and feel,” he remarked.
We’re working hard to update the images, and we’re also working hard in the AIA Centre’s center, where fake grass, for example, will now be in the midst of the sprung floor.
“You have got to move on and if you don’t, you don’t do that quickly – we are four or six weeks behind every other team in the competition for a very good reason, and a fun reason, but now we have got to get going.”
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