‘Open arms’: Hawks prepare for feisty airport reception
Roger Vaughan |
Hawthorn expect a feisty welcome at Adelaide Airport for Jack Ginnivan and have called for respect ahead of the AFL semi-final against the Crows.
But Hawks coach Sam Mitchell is confident Ginnivan and his teammates can have their football do the talking.
While the opponent has changed, there is a remarkable similarity to 12 months ago for Hawthorn – a knockout semi-final at Adelaide Oval, with plenty of feeling.
And much of that spice is again centred around Ginnivan.
Last year, a pre-game social media post from the Hawks forward had Port coach Ken Hinkley make an airplane gesture after the Power won their epic clash.
That nearly sparked a post-game stoush and earned Hinkley a $20,000 fine.
This time, Ginnivan is again in the crosshairs after his doorstop last month with a TV reporter at Adelaide Airport.
“I can’t imagine he’s going to be welcomed with open arms, is he?” Mitchell said before Wednesday morning training at Waverley.
“But we’re not concerned about the off-field thing. What’s great about Jack at the moment is everyone is talking about what he’s doing on the field – he’s been in great form.
“We’ll try and protect him as best we can at the airport … what I’m sure is going to be (a challenge). We’re going to land and there’s going to be people there and there’s going to be people wanting to discuss.
“But we have a game to prepare for, and that will be our clear focus. I hope everyone respects that.”
Then there’s the Adelaide Oval crowd, with Collingwood defender Isaac Quaynor constantly booed last week in the wake of the Izak Rankine controversy.
“I don’t think any of our players are the types who are going to be affected by it. If they are, that’s resilience training we need,” Mitchell said of the heated atmosphere they are certain to face in the game.
Mitchell was asked what he thought about the crowd booing.
“I don’t know how to answer that without making a headline, so I just won’t,” he said.
A year on, Mitchell said the Hawks are better prepared to win a sudden-death final at Adelaide Oval.
“This time last year we got into a very similar position to what we’re in now,” he said.
“We’ve spent a whole summer, a whole season, building capacity, and some of that has been a bit of a punch in the face interstate.
“We haven’t handled every moment of this season at all, but what we have done is build capacity. We feel confident that we have every answer now.”
The Hawks will make at least one change, with forward Calsher Dear out with a hamstring injury.
Mitchell said they have developed a strong culture of players seizing their chances when called into the senior team.
AAP
