Hawthorn star Jack Ginnivan has admitted it’s “hard to watch” highlights of early playing days when he used his controversial shoulder shrugging technique to win free kicks.
Ginnivan made his debut for Collingwood in late 2021, but really burst onto the scene the following season when he kicked 40 goals from 23 games.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Jack Ginnivan on removing the shoulder shrug
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But while he regularly hit the scoreboard, he also quickly developed a habit of winning high-contact free kicks by shrugging his shoulders and lifting his arm up.
It was a tactic that followed him throughout the early stages of his career and saw him draw the ire of opposition fans, as well as analysts.
The AFL eventually tweaked their rules to instruct umpires to not pay a free kick if the player ducks into a tackle.
Ginnivan joined The Agenda Setters on Tuesday night and was shown a few highlights from his early days.
“Yeah, it’s hard to watch that,” he said.
“Even just getting it and straight away putting the arm up.”
The 23-year-old has since stamped the tactic out of his game.
“I think just driving my legs and being comfortable with the ball in hand, that’s a guy that doesn’t really want to fend off or use his hips or anything like that,” he continued.
“So it starts at training where you’re starting to fend guys off and take people on instead of just lowering your shoulder and ducking into it.
“Like I said, it’s hard to watch that. But I’m glad I got it out of my game.”
After his eye-catching 2022 season with Collingwood, Ginnivan endured an indifferent 2023 season that was littered with off-field controversies, but also ended with a premiership medal.
In a shock move, he was then traded to Hawthorn where he has since developed into one of the stars of the competition.
Ginnivan has gone from a crafty forward pocket to a genuine hard-running winger that racks up big possessions and rarely wastes them.
And he now has the belief to get even better.
“I think the belief in myself that I can be a great footballer,” he said.
“I think probably in the past, I thought that I could just be a good footballer and just kick goals, stay forward, but I really believe that I can leave a legacy at Hawthorn and be a great player.
“So, that’s been a big mindset change.”
Ginnivan used teammate Dylan Moore as the inspiration to become a more impactful player away from goal.
“(Sam Mitchell) has seen what a forward pocket can do and then go into that higher forward midfield role,” Ginnivan said.
“So I had to get fit and I did that in the off-season and it was something I needed, good strong leaders around me and good people and I had good mentors.
“I think the wing role has suited me just because of my ability to read the play.
“So, that’s one of my great strengths, my footy IQ and stuff like that. So that’s been easy.
“But it is sometimes annoying when you’re sitting out on the wing and you really want to go in, but obviously team rules and the structure you’ve got to hold out.”
Ginnivan also said he holds no grudges towards Collingwood despite somewhat of a messy exit, but couldn’t be happier at Hawthorn, which was the club he supported growing up.
“Obviously a premiership player at the Pies and loved my time there and I’m so grateful for the Pies and have made great relationships there,” he said.
“But it was an awkward conversation, I guess, but when you’ve seen love from Sam Mitchell and the Hawks being my childhood club, it’s a bit of a no-brainer.”
