The AFL says Collingwood’s Jack Ginnivan should have been awarded a free kick after impact with Essendon’s Mason Redman on Sunday, but they maintain the young Magpie initiated the contact.
Ginnivan was caught high by Redman during the first quarter of Sunday’s thrilling win over Essendon but did not receive a whistle in his favour.
But while the AFL says the umpire initially made the right call, they should have penalised Redman after he continued to hold Ginnivan around the neck.
“Ginnivan is responsible for the initial high contact however (Mason) Redman then continues with the tackle in an unreasonable manner, holding Ginnivan around the neck,” an AFL statement read.
“In this instance a free kick should have been awarded to Ginnivan.
“Overall the umpires did a terrific job of officiating the high tackle interpretation in all games over the weekend.”
Jack Ginnivan. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)
After correspondence with AFL football boss Brad Scott, Collingwood coach Craig McRae said he was satisfied with the situation moving forward.
“I’m really comfortable where it sits, that’s a free kick for me and I said that (on Sunday),” he told Fox Sports.
“It’s such a hard game to interpret … the rule for me seems really simple, based on the interpretation of it, but then how do you adjudicate that?
“I just feel for the umpires, I wonder how we could take that stress away from them.”
It came just days after the league moved to clarify its high contact rule, following fierce debate around whether Ginnivan was being umpired differently to other players.
The league had said players would not be given free kicks when they ducked or shrugged in tackles to create high contact.
Ginnivan was cited as one of three examples in the league’s memo and has been an unwitting lightning rod this season for criticism of players who attempt to draw free kicks.
McRae admitted he was concerned what the notoriety would do to Ginnivan’s mental health.
“I’m really, really conscious of this 19-year-old guy who’s finding his way in the AFL and trying to protect him from himself at times,” he told Fox Sports.
“But also from from the broader AFL community, he’s 19 and he’s gone from zero to 1000 in terms of fame, and that can be challenging.”
Earlier on Monday, Collingwood legend Tony Shaw accused the AFL of persecuting Ginnivan and called his treatment “disgraceful”.
“This issue won’t go away even after a great game,” the Magpies’ 1990 premiership captain posted on Twitter.
“The AFL has persecuted a player on a whim and now has again opened up umpires to embarrassment due to this Ginnivan interpretation.”
Richmond legend Matthew Richardson said the Ginnivan-Redman non-call was “outrageous”, while former Magpies hero Mick McGuane said whistleblowers should “umpire the rules of the game, not the player”.
Collingwood ruck-forward Mason Cox also weighed in, questioning the league’s commitment to player welfare around head contact.
“Wild to think high tackles were put in the game to protect players’ health and now are being blatantly ignored for a 19-year-old,” Cox posted on Twitter.
“How can we think ‘the AFL cares about concussions and head high contact’ after this?”
Hawkins keen to go around again
Geelong veteran Tom Hawkins has declared his intention to play on next year, but first he wants to celebrate Joel Selwood’s 350-game AFL milestone in style.
Hawkins has defied father time to remain in career-best form, with the 34-year-old booting 49 goals from 18 matches this season in a formidable strike duo with Jeremy Cameron. The 320-game veteran says he’s feeling good both physically and mentally, and he’s keen to extend his career by at least another year.
“I’ll be playing next year, absolutely,” Hawkins said. “That’s certainly the plan. I know like anything when it comes to a player being out of contract, I know there’s always chatter around what’s happening.
“I understand that being 34 it’s not as much of a formality. But I’m looking forward to doing that (formalising the deal) when I get the opportunity to.”
Selwood will become the first Cat in VFL/AFL history to crash through the 350-game barrier when he runs out in Saturday night’s clash with the Western Bulldogs at GMHBA Stadium.
(Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
The match will also mark the 300th game where Selwood and Hawkins have played together as teammates.
Selwood was snared with pick No.7 in the 2006 national draft, while Hawkins was a father-son pick that year.
“He’s one of my best friends,” Hawkins said of Selwood. “We knew a little bit about each other before we got drafted.
“I vividly remember where I was when Geelong called out his name, and I thought, ‘how good is this’.
“I was really excited to play a year or two with him. I didn’t think it would eventuate into 300 games together as teammates. In my eyes, maybe I’m a bit biased, but I think he’s one of the greatest – if not the greatest – Cats player to have ever played.”
Geelong (14-4) sit a game clear on top of the ladder following a stunning nine-match winning run. The Cats round out their home-and-away campaign with games against the Bulldogs, St Kilda, Gold Coast and West Coast.
Kangaroos struck down with COVID
Four North Melbourne players and interim coach Leigh Adams have tested positive for COVID after their round 19 clash with Hawthorn in Hobart.
The players, who haven’t yet been identified publicly, have not been immediately ruled out of Sunday’s clash with Essendon, but with their seven-day isolation period continuing until Saturday, they would appear unlikely to play.
Adams, who’s only coached the Kangaroos twice since taking over from David Noble, is expected to be available to coach on Sunday, the club said in a statement.
North says all players and staff who travelled to Tasmania stayed home on Monday as a precaution, with training to resume Tuesday.
The Kangaroos lost to the Hawks by 46 points.
Greene blames himself for poor reputation
GWS co-captain Toby Greene admits the idea he’s known more for controversial moments than his footballing skill frustrates him, although he concedes he’s only got himself to blame.
A circumspect Greene, who had been suspended for 14 matches and fined $29,350 across his career to the end of the 2021 season, said he burned watching his teammates play the first five rounds of this campaign while serving a ban for his most infamous moment.
That incident saw him bump an umpire against Sydney in last year’s finals, with an initial three-week ban handed down by the tribunal increased to six weeks on appeal.
Regarding his perhaps-negative reputation, Greene hoped the footballing world would move on.
“At the time, it probably frustrates me and certainly what happened in the finals series last year burned for a couple of weeks, no doubt about that,” he told Fox Sports.
“But I move on pretty quick, I think the footy world moves on pretty quick as well.
“It’s just part of it, and I’ve got myself in some controversial incidents in high-profile games. I don’t try to do it, but it just seems to happen.”
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Of his umpire bump, Greene admitted there was no excuse for his actions.
“Obviously it got talked about quite heavily … and rightfully so, it was the wrong thing to do,” he said.
“Three weeks was probably a fair whack and then when they said we’re going back (to an appeal) there was no point rocking up, I was getting six (weeks).
“I certainly learned my lesson, it burned not playing the first five games of this year.”
Meanwhile, Greene insisted the Giants don’t need a complete rebuild despite a 5-13 campaign highlighted by the sacking of coach Leon Cameron.
“We don’t need a whole reset, I don’t think that and I don’t think the club thinks that at all either,” he said.
“We as players haven’t performed up to our level this year, Leon probably copped it unfairly … but we certainly think we should be better than what we are and we need to deliver on that as a playing group.”
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Macca
Roar Rookie
The thing is Ginnivan isn’t trying to get the ball, he has the ball and instead of playing the game he chooses to play dead and play the umpire. That is not in the spirit of the game
wyalurch
Roar Rookie
And Macca just look at who's lined up in public to say the AFL/umpires got it woefully wrong. Even the AFL itself said well, maybe the umps got it just that little bit wrong because you see what they REALLY meant was in such cases ..... (bleuaaahhhh!!) And they go on about avoiding concussion FFS. Pathetic, just like Lethal said, plain and simple. But then I guess Lethal's just another Pies fanatic, right? So what next? Flying Full Nelsons, just so long as they comply with "AFL regulations"? There was a time when the delicate slant of rule interpretation was supposed to lean (if anything) towards the guy attempting to get the ball. Kinda made sense on principle, yeah? But then Ginnivan is a young n' flashy forward, has flashy white hair, particular moves and .... plays for Collingwood.
Kevo
Roar Rookie
Fair point, Lethal or .............? Reckon I just might stick with Lethal somehow.
Macca
Roar Rookie
" And who decided they actually were wrong to begin with?"The fact their opinion and the AFL ruling seem to be in complete contrast
wyalurch
Roar Rookie
Matthews actually said I felt sick. That was virtually not only a high contact headlock, it was bordering on unduly rough play But then Macca & co, what would L-LM know about footy, or about rough play if it comes to that, eh? IMHO Ginnivan should simply shave off his hair, the real unrecognised culprit in this whole story.
wyalurch
Roar Rookie
So Macca, "Pies supporters seldom admit they were wrong. ????", eh? And who decided they actually were wrong to begin with? Non-Pies supporters of course. So the Bright Side of the Moon is, well, bright, while the Dark Side is, uhm .... But in the end it's all there in Black n' White, innit? ;-)
Macca
Roar Rookie
Pies supporters seldom admit they were wrong. :laughing: Most other posters echoed the AFL sentiments, “Ginnivan is responsible for the initial high contact however (Mason) Redman then continues with the tackle in an unreasonable manner, holding Ginnivan around the neck,” The umpires aren’t going to get every call correct and when you give them all the reasons not to pay the free kick (drop the knees, lift the arm & play dead) you run the risk of them missing a legitimate free.
Kevo
Roar Rookie
Lethal Leigh is just about the most respected commentator in the game. Said fabric of game is being attacked, and he was obviously pretty disappointed re Ginnavin being both targeted and neglected. Fickle AFL change the rules at a whim with their panicky knee jerk reactions. No middle ground, one extreme to the other.
Mybrotherbilo
Roar Rookie
I still can't get my head around how the initial contact was deemed to be initiated by JG. Watch it at live speed. If that's deemed to not be a free then I think it's time to for me to stop taking my kids to auskick. Afl, just admit the ump got it wrong and move on.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Seems a few posters in here are wrong about that tackle. Will they admit it?
Mat P
Guest
Put Ginnivan in a West Coast, GWS or Port Adelaide guernsey and Tony Shaw would be calling him a disgrace that needs to be rubbed out of the game. The level of hand-wringing over this by Collingwood supporters as been hysterical.
Aransan
Roar Rookie
Ginnivan is a talented player who doesn’t need to manufacture free kicks near goal. This was always going to be an issue that the umpires would have to deal with. Ginnivan has got to get this out of his game, and if that means a spell in the VFL then that will be the way to go. Players are likely to respond strongly to opponents who they feel are effectively chaeting, and I am sure Essendon players had strong memories from their previous encounter.
jutsie
Roar Rookie
the coverage of this has been helen lovejoy levels of hysterical. All this talk of a potentially serious injury to ginivan....newsflash he was fine and played the rest of the game (well apparently he did, hardly sighted him). On the flip side no mention from the media of Redman going to hospital coughing up blood after a dog act by Mihocek.
Macca
Roar Rookie
"“Ginnivan is responsible for the initial high contact however (Mason) Redman then continues with the tackle in an unreasonable manner, holding Ginnivan around the neck,” exactly as I saw it.