“That is a low act”: Hutchison calls out Ginnivan and Watson after kids clinic cancellation

Craig Hutchison has described Jack Ginnivan and Nick Watson’s decision to cancel a kids' clinic on Sunday morning as a low act.

The duo cancelled the private clinic, which was due to host 80 kids, at 9 am on Sunday. The clinic itself was set to start at 10:30 am with the Hawks players to arrive at 11 am where they’d coach the kids for 45 minutes before a 15-minute Q&A.

The duo’s excuse for cancelling was due to sickness, but that has come into question given both players attended Hawthorn’s Peter Crimmins Medal count the night prior.

Hutchison had a friend who was taking their children who were excited to meet their Hawks heroes and he thinks that this act should be a warning for Watson if he’s going to continue following his controversial teammate.

“This is not a story that would normally catch our attention, but it caught mine,” Hutchison told The Sounding Board.

“Jack Ginnivan and ‘The Wizard’ Nick Watson were due at a kids clinic at Ivanhoe on Sunday morning.

“I was aware of this because I had a friend who had kids going and they said, ‘How good’s this, my kids have been waiting, I’ve presented them jumpers, Jack and The Wizard are going to do a clinic on Sunday morning, it’s great value - $65 a kid.

“It’s a private thing they’re doing, and they’ve been running side hustles, they had the ‘HokBall’ clothes going before anyone realised there was a brand in that.

“They’ve worked out that they’re better as a duo commercially than alone and you’ve got to admire their cheek … and I’m a Jack Ginnivan fan … and I think Wizard could be one of the most marketable players in a long time.

“But it was the best and fairest the night before, they hadn’t completed the maths with the B&F into the clinic on Sunday morning and an hour out from the clinic they sent a message … and knowing kids their age it would have been a text, not a call, saying that they’ve fallen sick and can’t attend.

“Honest to goodness, that is a low act. That should be a huge warning across the bow here for the Wizard to not get caught in the slipstream of the Jack shenanigans.”

Hutchison hopes it’s the one time the duo make such a mistake and he hopes that they learn never to cancel an event they commit to, particularly when it involves children and families.

“They have got an opportunity … they have ignited kids … they have brought families and people together, but there’s an obligation to being a star and that is poor form. That should be a one-and-done for those two,” Hutchison said.

“It was a poor decision to think they could do something the morning after the best and fairest.

“The second thing is you don’t cancel on any event ever that you commit to ever, regardless of how sick you are.

“I thought it was poor, you let kids down and family down. It’s one-and-done for me. Red alert on the Wizard … it’s not Jack’s first rodeo.

“In life, you turn up, you front up, you show up.”

Ginnivan’s management said that they’d try to reschedule the clinic for a later date.