Jack Ginnivan celebrates kicking a goal during the match between Hawthorn and Port Adelaide at UTAS Stadium in round 19, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

THE STAKES weren’t anywhere near as high as a semi-final, but Hawthorn small forward Jack Ginnivan didn’t waste an opportunity to cheekily taunt Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley with his own interpretation of an aeroplane celebration in Launceston on Saturday. 

With the game beyond doubt late, Ginnivan put the Hawks 33 points up at University of Tasmania Stadium and then extended his arms to mimic Hinkley’s famous gibe after the fiery finish at the Adelaide Oval last September. 

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Hinkley was hit with a $20,000 fine by the AFL for his role in the exchange at the end of the semi-final after Ginnivan responded to an Instagram post by Sydney ruckman Brodie Grundy, ‘see u in 14 days’, referring to the preliminary final. 

Hawthorn supporters heckled Hinkley with aeroplane celebrations following the final, but the outgoing Port Adelaide coach had no issue with the theatre of Ginnivan.

“Payback is … I was going to say something else. Payback is deserved,” Hinkley told reporters after the Power’s 38-point loss at University of Tasmania Stadium. 

“I have no problems with it and I’m OK with it. I think it’s good for the game, for the theatre of the game. 

“Good on Jack. He’s brave enough to go out there and play the way he played and did what he needed to do and Hawthorn themselves as a club. 

“I won’t be one that sits here and be anything but acknowledge that it was my turn today.”

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell also said the drama is good for the game after his side ended a four-game losing streak against Port Adelaide. 

“I heard Kenny say it’s part of the theatre of the game and I probably sit in the same boat; that’s what you’re going to get from Jack,” Mitchell said.

“I think the banter between the clubs makes for a bit more interest in the games. We finish the year one [win] each.”

For the third time in four visits in 2025, the elements changed the way the game was played in Launceston. Extreme wind and rain ensured it was a proper wet weather game at University of Tasmania Stadium. 

The Hawks simply had to win to maintain not just a pursuit of a double chance, but a spot in September. They led by two goals at the final change, but flew home kicking with the wind in the last quarter, kicking five goals to one to head home to Melbourne with a spot in the four.

“Every game at the moment is important; we’re not quite at a ‘you lose you’re out’ stage, but we’re not far from that,” Mitchell said.

“We know that we’ve been in this position before; last year we thought maybe we could afford to lose one more game for the rest of the season with about six weeks to go and we ended up losing the one and we lost the final, which forced us out.

“We are in a similar boat now. We can’t really afford to let any games slide now, the competition is so even. We knew we were coming home with a little breeze, we were just in front, but we knew we were going to have to put the foot down if we were going to get the points.”

Key forward Mitch Lewis made a successful return from a knee reconstruction, playing two and a half quarters in his first AFL game in 378 days before being replaced by Bailey Macdonald. 

Mitchell said the Hawks made a conservative decision with Lewis due to the five-day break into Carlton next Thursday night. 

“Mitch has been first class,” he said. 

“He was injured for a long period of time (last year), then he came back for one game and was injured for 12 months. His positivity and vibrancy around the group – he has given back to a lot of guys – and we play again on Thursday, so the fact we didn’t have any injuries and were able to sub him out was the best-case scenario; he could play some minutes, get back to it, but we didn’t have to expose him for a full game.

“Really pleased with how he went tonight, not a great day for a key forward, ended up picking up a lot of balls off his boot laces, but rapt with how he’s gone about it. I think our medical team are first class with not just getting players back to play, but back to perform. He is in as good a physical nick as he’s ever been. We’re expecting big things from the last part of the year from him.”