AFL
1 month ago
Hawks footy boss expects Ginnivan and Watson to reschedule cancelled kids’ clinic
By Lachlan Geleit
Hawthorn footy boss Rob McCartney was disappointed by Jack Ginnivan and Nick Watson missing a kids’ clinic that they had organised last Sunday in Ivanhoe.
The decision to cancel the clinic only hours before it was due to begin on Sunday made news as it was set to take place the night after Hawthorn’s Peter Crimmins Medal count, which both players had attended on the Saturday night.
McCartney acknowledged that plenty of young Hawthorn fans were let down by the cancellation, even though the clinic wasn’t run by the club, but added that both Ginnivan and Watson often give a lot of time to a wide range of fans.
“What I’ll say on this is that there is a need to first and foremost acknowledge the disappointment that the kids felt by not having our two players at a clinic,” McCartney told AFL Trade Radio.
“It was obviously not organised by Hawthorn, but a clinic that was going to involve both Jack and Nick and we acknowledge that that disappointment was real for those kids.
“The second part I want to say is that while their not being there is a reflection on that day, what I will say is that both these boys give a lot of time to kids, to supporters and to fans throughout the entire journey.
“We just need to get the balance right. They might not have delivered on this day for those kids, but they do deliver on a regular basis.
“They are two players who actually give more than most.”
After the disappointment of last weekend, McCartney revealed that the duo along with their management are planning on running another clinic for those kids who missed out.
“Importantly, what has happened after this disappointment is that both the boys - and their management who have been dealing with this - have acknowledged that to try and repair some of the disappointment, they will inform those kids that they're going to run another clinic on another date,” McCartney added.
“Again, is it ideal? No. But we have to take all of these things in the fullness of the picture and not in just an isolated incident.”
Craig Hutchison weighed in on the duo’s cancellation on The Sounding Board, check out his strong reaction here.
