Jack Ginnivan of Collingwood was expected to be unaffected by the addition of sharpshooting small forward Lachie Schultz in the near future, but the forward is rumored to have demanded a move away from Olympic Park.
With Ginnivan and other players facing increased competition for selection in Craig McRae’s offensive third with the arriving Schultz, the maligned Magpie was viewed as a vital component in the club’s ambitions moving into 2024 as they prepare to defend their premiership.
Norm Smith Award recipient With a four-goal performance against the Lions in the grand final, Bobby Hill completed his first campaign in the black and white on a high note. Jamie Elliott and Beau McCreery will also be competing for starting positions in Round 1 of next season.
Because of his position in the pecking order and Collingwood’s acquisition of Schultz, Ginnivan was promoted to the starting lineup for the championship game, casting doubt on a possible off-season transfer.
The 20-year-old, who is under contract, wasn’t a player Collingwood put on the trade table at any point during this trade period, according to Graham Wright, the football manager, who stated on Monday that he isn’t taking calls from possible suitors.
Wright stated Ginnivan is a necessary player for 2024 and hasn’t been connected to their player movement plans while speaking on Trade Radio.
“I have not answered any calls on that. When asked about Ginnivan’s future, Wright responded, “We haven’t tried to take calls either.
“From our standpoint, it hasn’t at all been a problem. We consider Jack to be a component of our endeavors. Next year is his contract year.
“We haven’t taken any calls at all.”
Sam Edmund of SEN reports that “multiple clubs” think Collingwood is open to dealing Ginnivan, with Hawthorn being seen as a club that is pushing for the young forward.
As early as Tuesday, according to Edmund, Ginnivan is anticipated to meet with the Hawks, who may be trying to fill the vacuum left by Tyler Brockman’s recent departure for the West Coast.
For this year’s draft, Hawthorn presently holds the Picks 4, 33, 44, 54, and 63.
“Several teams claim that Collingwood is now open to trading Jack Ginnivan this afternoon,” Edmund said on Tuesday on Trade Radio.
“Multiple clubs that we’ve spoken to over the course of the last half an hour or so now say that it’s been made clear to them that Collingwood would consider trading Jack Ginnivan, only obviously if the right offer presented itself.”
According to a separate story from The Herald Sun, John Meesen, the manager of Ginnivan, has submitted a request for a trade while investigating interest from the Hawks.
It is anticipated that the Magpies and Hawthorn will meet to attempt and reach an agreement on a contract for Ginnivan before the deadline of Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. (AEDT).
Schultz, 25, was signed to a four-year contract by the Magpies and Fremantle on Monday afternoon. In exchange, the Dockers received Pick 34 and Collingwood’s 2024 first-round pick.
Given that they had previously sent midfielder Taylor Adams to Sydney the previous week, the trade was probably Collingwood’s final transaction before the deadline on Wednesday.
Wright wouldn’t rule out a last-minute change, but he also acknowledged that it was doubtful that there would be any more haggling.
