Jack Ginnivan makes brutally honest confession after sparking ugly bust-up that saw coach cop $20,000 fine

Jack Ginnivan has admitted he needs to ‘grow up’ after sparking an ugly finals bust-up with an ill-advised Instagram comment before Hawthorn’s defeat by Port Adelaide.

Ginnivan, 21, commented ‘see you in 14 days’ on Sydney Swans star Brodie Grundy’s page ahead of the preliminary final in Adelaide last week, which the Power ended up winning to end the Hawks’ season.

In the aftermath of the game, Port coach Ken Hinkley made a beeline for Ginnivan and reportedly said: ‘You know you’re not flying anywhere’, in a clear dig at the youngster’s goal celebration earlier in the night where he mimicked a plane.

That sparked a verbal back-and-forth between Hinkley and Hawthorn captain James Sicily, who told the 57-year-old coach has been in charge of a ‘nowhere club for eight years’.

Hinkley copped a $20,000 fine for his role in the spat, a decision that has divided the footy community.

And Ginnivan says his social media comment ‘wasn’t the smartest idea’ but thanked the Hawthorn hierarchy for supporting him.

‘Upon reflection, it probably wasn’t the smartest idea, but the leaders and coaches had my full support and they backed me in,’ he told 7News.

The 21-year-old was the recipient of a verbal tirade from Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley

‘I’ve just got to grow up I guess and be a bit smarter.’

Elsewhere, Port Adelaide youngster Jase Burgoyne has revealed how his side used polarising Ginnivan’s five-word text message to their advantage last Friday night. 

‘We touched on it (Ginnivan’s comments) at the start of the week,’ Burgoyne told 3AW.

‘They brought it up on the projector and said it was a little bit disrespectful. I guess, a comment saying they can dismiss us like that.

‘But like I said, we were confident and we used that as fuel before the game… all the boys fed into it and it was a good win.’ 

Burgoyne said his coach knew he crossed the line and immediately regretted his actions.

‘Straight after the game we were in the changerooms and he said he regretted it instantly,’ explained Burgoyne.

‘He’s an emotional coach and playing footy, it’s an emotional game. He let his emotions get the best of him in the moment.’