Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has dismissed former teammate Luke Hodge’s assertion Jack Ginnivan’s current social media exercise might spur Port Adelaide of their AFL semi-final conflict.
Hodge felt Ginnivan went too far in his by-play with ex-Collingwood teammate Brodie Grundy when he responded to a put up with a public “see you in 14 days” response.
It was a reference to a doable preliminary ultimate assembly between Grundy’s Sydney Swans and the Hawks, who should beat the Energy at Adelaide Oval on Friday night time to advance.
“One factor you don’t do is give ammunition to the opposition,” Hodge mentioned on SEN radio.
“He’s having a little bit of a joke, he performed two years with Grundy at Collingwood, in order that they know one another and it’s most likely a little bit of banter.
“However what you do is you ship banter in a textual content message, you don’t put it out within the open for Port Adelaide to take a seat there and go, ‘Let’s use this and get caught into Ginnivan’.”
Sam Mitchell. (Picture by Dylan Burns/AFL Images through Getty Photos)
Ginnivan’s put up got here a couple of days after he raised eyebrows by going out for dinner at a preferred Richmond pub the night time earlier than the Hawks’ elimination ultimate win over the Western Bulldogs.
Mitchell had no challenge with Ginnivan’s pub journey and wasn’t overly involved by the social media put up.
“Hodgey’s clearly from my old-school days,” Mitchell mentioned on Wednesday when requested about his four-time premiership teammate’s feedback.
“I heard his feedback and I do know that he’s simply making an attempt to spur on the Hawks as he goes for us this week.
“I’m undecided about motivating Port Adelaide. They’ve obtained their season on the road the identical means we do.
“We’re going right into a knockout ultimate and I feel each groups are going to be as extremely motivated as you could possibly presumably hope for.
“I don’t purchase into too many issues outdoors that.”
Mitchell has made a wide selection name, selecting Jai Serong as a alternative for skilled key defender Sam Frost, who has been dominated out for the remainder of the finals collection with a foot harm.
The 21-year-old has performed simply 9 senior video games, together with 4 this season, and final appeared at AFL degree within the round-10 defeat to Port Adelaide.
Serong’s choice is reward for his excellent kind throughout 13 VFL matches this season.
“Whereas it’s disappointing for Sam (Frost) to overlook Friday night time’s recreation, we all know Jai has been knocking on the door for quite a lot of weeks now together with his incredible kind within the VFL,” Hawks soccer boss Rob McCartney mentioned.
“It’s pleasing to see him get one other alternative to showcase his weapons on the AFL degree and we all know he’ll take it with each arms.”
Two golf equipment emerge in race for Macrae
Jack Macrae is about to hitch Western Bulldogs teammate Bailey Smith in looking for a brand new AFL dwelling.
The day after Smith confirmed months of hypothesis that he would nominate for the upcoming commerce interval, it’s emerged Macrae additionally desires to depart Whitten Oval.
Macrae, a 2016 premiership participant and three-time All-Australian midfielder, is contracted to the Bulldogs till the top of 2027.
It follows a difficult season for Macrae, who had a pre-season hamstring harm and didn’t return to the AFL till spherical 4.
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He performed 19 senior video games, 4 of them because the substitute.
The Bulldogs weren’t commenting late on Tuesday about media studies flagging Macrae’s commerce want.
There isn’t a quick phrase as properly about his most popular vacation spot however St Kilda and Geelong have emerged because the early frontrunners for his signature.
Canine teammate Caleb Daniel may be obtainable regardless of being contracted till 2027 after the 28-year-old has fallen out of favour on the membership.
Melbourne are shaping up as Daniel’s touchdown spot as a alternative for the retiring Angus Brayshaw.
Additionally on Tuesday, the Bulldogs introduced a two-year deal for defender Buku Khamis.
Crows preserve Keane underneath lock and key
In the meantime, Irishman Mark Keane has signed a contemporary contract with Adelaide, rejecting provides from rival golf equipment together with Collingwood.
The Magpies made a robust pitch for Keane to rejoin Collingwood, the place he began his AFL profession and spent the 2020 and ’21 seasons.
After staying in Eire through the COVID-19 pandemic and lacking the 2022 AFL season, Keane was signed by Adelaide as a pre-season supplemental choice.
Keane performed 5 video games for the Crows final 12 months after a restricted pre-season however featured in 21 matches this 12 months and impressed in a key defensive position, averaging virtually 17 disposals and greater than 5 marks a recreation.
At Adelaide Keane had been on a low-base contract, which expired on the finish of subsequent season.
However with Collingwood lurking, the Crows provided the 24-year-old a contemporary deal.
Adelaide have fended off curiosity from rival golf equipment to maintain Mark Keane. Crows record supervisor Justin Reid mentioned Keane is now considered one of their most necessary gamers.
“We couldn’t be extra happy with what Mark has delivered to our membership over the previous two seasons,” Reid mentioned. “He is a good teammate and a ruthless competitor, and this 12 months took his recreation to a brand new degree as a key member of our backline.
“We see him as an necessary a part of our future and are clearly thrilled that he’s prolonged his contract with us till 2028.”
In his two years at Adelaide, Keane mentioned he had settled properly into the membership and town.
“I really feel like I’ve come a great distance and brought my alternatives and hopefully there may be plenty of enchancment to return within the subsequent 4 years, so I can’t wait to get again to work with my teammates in pre-season,” he mentioned.
with AAP
