Collingwood CEO Craig Kelly has stated that Jack Ginnivan’s night at Moonee Valley before the grand final had nothing to do with his shock trade to Hawthorn.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Kelly defended Collingwood’s reasoning to trade Ginnivan after the acquisition of former Fremantle small forward Lachie Schultz.
“The reality is when Lachie Schultz came, when we saw that opportunity, ‘Wrighty’ (football boss Graham Wright) and the guys had those other conversations,” Kelly said on Wednesday.
Whilst Kelly said it was sad for Ginnivan to leave the Magpies, it was also a matter of achieving greater contract security.
“I think Jack is loved by all of us, and loved by a lot of supporters, but the reality is he has got a four-year deal at the club, (Hawthorn),” the Magpies chief added.
“He is a ripping guy, he is a lovely guy we had around the club, but there is a bigger opportunity for him, and he has got a secure contract for four years.
“It’s worked for him and we have got Lachie Schultz coming into our program… he is elite.”
Whilst Craig McRae publicly expressed his disappointment in Ginnivan’s grand final eve preparation, Kelly said that it did not factor into a trade.
“That stuff doesn’t come into it, I promise you. Everyone tries to make something … you might have seen another email I sent around, everyone needs to stop talking rubbish. They don’t know what they are talking about,” he said.
“It’s dangerous, and it spreads, and it’s not right. It’s incorrect.”
In other list news, Collingwood made the difficult decision to delist Kelly’s son, Will Kelly, who made his debut back in 2020 but has been hit with multiple injuries since.
Collingwood has advised Kelly that he will be considered to train with the Magpies over the pre-season to try and earn a spot back on the list through the Supplementary Selection Period.
Whilst it was ultimately a difficult decision, Kelly believed it was the right call for his son to seek opportunities elsewhere.
“As hard as it was for me to not have Will in our program, it’s the right decision for the program, because the people running the program made that decision in Fly and Wrighty,” he said.
“I also think maybe it’s not a bad thing that he is not around this club because there is a lot of stuff I have done and others have done.
“Maybe it’s a good fresh start for him.”
With the Magpies winning the premiership by four points against Brisbane, Kelly insists that the celebrations will soon end.
“You have got to move on and if you don’t, you don’t do that quickly – we are four or six weeks behind every other team in the competition for a very good reason, and a fun reason, but now we have got to get going,” he added.
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