Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes says Collingwood youngster Jack Ginnivan is being victimised by the AFL after the league’s response to him being tackled high at the weekend.
The AFL admitted an umpiring error that should’ve seen Ginnivan rewarded with a free kick after he was taken high by Essendon’s Mason Redman, but said the 19-year-old had initiated the contact.
The incident occurred in the first quarter of Collingwood’s thrilling after-the-siren win over Essendon on Sunday.
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“In this passage of play, Collingwood’s Ginnivan is responsible for the initial high contact however Essendon’s Redman then continues with the tackle in an unreasonable manner, holding Ginnivan around the neck,” an AFL statement on Monday evening read.
“In this instance a free kick should have been awarded to Ginnivan.
“Overall, the umpires did a terrific job of officiating the high tackle interpretation in all games over the weekend.
“There are instances where, at full speed, in real time and at ground level, some decisions are extremely challenging to make, and this one is an example of that.”
The league’s explanation did not sit well with Cornes, who has raised issues with how Ginnivan has been officiated numerous times this season.
“He’s hard done by, as he was last week. This was always going to happen,” he told 9News Melbourne.
“That was a violent tackle and I’m not sure how that free kick wasn’t paid. Jack Ginnivan has been targeted by the AFL again. In this instance, he absolutely is (being victimised).
“He’s got to play better, his last two weeks have been poor, so whether that’s been a distraction for him I’m not sure.
“You’re umpired for 16 weeks one way and then they change it on the eve of the finals, it’s not fair.
“For a young person, he’s dealt with a lot and some of it is from his own doing, but it could be a distraction for him and that’s the result, his form.”
Cornes’s sentiment echoed that of Ginnivan’s teammate Mason Cox who suggested the 19-year-old forward was not being protected by the umpires.
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“Wild to think high tackles were put in the game to protect players health and now are being blatantly ignored for a 19 year old,” Cox tweeted.
“How can we think ‘the AFL cares about concussions and head high contact’ after this.”
Ginnivan has become the poster boy for the AFL’s high contact rule after splitting opinions with his penchant for drawing free kicks inside his own forward 50 this season.
The AFL was forced to clarify its rules last week after a number of instances where Ginnivan was not awarded free kicks despite being tackled high, while a number of other players were given frees for similar situations.
The league has made it clear that any players who initiate high contact in a tackle situation will not be awarded free kicks.
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