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“I’m just kinda glad [about his form] … he’s had a massive two weeks. Hopefully he can carry that into next week, and have a good well-earned rest.”
Another teammate, Dylan Moore, was unfazed. “That’s Ginni being Ginni. When he’s at his best he’s showboating. He’s causing frustration for the opposition. I absolutely love that,” Moore told ABC Radio after the game.
Ginnivan kicked two goals and had 23 touches, and Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said his antics could be a case of “winners are grinners”.
“Sometimes I think with the contemporaries these days, it doesn’t even go in the memory banks,” Beveridge said.
“Next time we play the Hawks they won’t even remember it, and I won’t show it. That’s what he [Ginnivan] does, that’s the way he rolls.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was all smiles with Hawks president Andy Gowers.Credit: AFL Photos
The Hawks needed to find a way to resuscitate their season, having dropped their previous three games.
They were without skipper James Sicily and irrepressible forward Nick Watson.
The Bulldogs needed to reaffirm why they are seen as legitimate finals contenders.
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By late Thursday night, with Prime Minister and Hawks fan Anthony Albanese still in the house, the result was clear: the Hawks, stung by a week of criticism, are top-four and premiership threats. The Bulldogs, now 6-6, have much work to do if they are simply to make the eight.
Having laid just 74 tackles over the previous fortnight, the Hawks finished this clash with 82.
“It was a clear focus for us coming into the game,” coach Sam Mitchell said.
“Part of it is player attitude, but part of it is the way we set up the game. When you work together on those things and prioritise them at the top of the list, you get that performance, which is going to give you a much better chance to beat good teams, which the Bulldogs are.”
