Scoop in September LIVE: How Ginnivan turned the tables on the media

Quick maths (I’ve become good at this after calculating Hutchy’s wine bill) – 4 x 2 = 8 people. Plus a photographer from the Adelaide Advertiser. So we’re at nine people total.

That’s a lot for a footy player from Melbourne. I mean, it’s not like he’s LeBron James. Having said that, this is Adelaide we’re talking about. Ginnivan, about to play against the Crows in September, may as well have been Britney Spears in September 1998 (that’s when Hit Me Baby One More Time was released, duh) about to play a gig.

Ginnivan only started thinking about his airport tactics earlier this week when he was in the middle of a photoshoot modelling sunglasses (I know, pretty funny). The club had seriously considered two options.

Option one: Hold a quick doorstop (translation: a press conference) at the arrival gate to feed the chooks (translation: give the media a quote).

Option two: Make sure that when Ginnivan gets off the plane, he’s surrounded by teammates who are (a) tall (shields him from view) and (b) calm (won’t get overprotective and lash out at a camera operator, Bailey Smith style). Think Lloyd Meek and Connor Nash. And don’t think James Sicily and Blake Hardwick. Get the picture?

But Ginni decided on a third option, which I will call Option Jack: Calmly walk through the airport, closely tailing football boss Rob McCartney (who may or may not have been texting Zach Merrett), wear headphones so you can’t hear any of the questions (they weren’t great) and then take out your phone and start filming the media filming you. Genius.

In holding up his iPhone 16 to the reporters, he was essentially holding up a mirror to the media (too deep?).

It was lighthearted, it was fun, and it took the whole sting out of the situation. The four news services (again, where was the ABC?) will likely lead with the Hawks star all of their bulletins tonight – with great vision but absolutely no quotes.

Ginnivan has made some mistakes in his career, but the one thing you have to admire about him is that he always owns them. He’s unashamedly and unapologetically himself, and he’s not kept on a leash by his club.

The Hawks will, of course, be hoping he’ll be off the leash in 24 hours because the other thing that isn’t talked about enough when it comes to Ginnivan is that he’s a bloody good player.

That’s a little awkward, given both of them tried to escape from pri-, er, the club at the end of last year. I’m sure you remember it – the two midfield superstars who were the talk of the off-season?

You might also recall that this time last year, president Brad Green was infamously bullish about the futures of Petracca and Oliver.

The starting midfield for round one 2025 would be “Max Gawn, Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver”, he told the crowd that night. It ended up being the case. But what will the centre bounce in round one look like in 2026?

Petracca is looking around again, with Hawthorn a potential suitor, while Oliver remains hopeful he and the Demons can put aside their differences and start a new relationship under a fresh coach.

This time around, Green (who will be making way for incoming president Stephen Smith after the AFLW season) admitted it had been a “challenging year” in his best and fairest speech – understatement of the millennium – but was confident the club would make an announcement on a new coach shortly.

Like I said – a fair bit happening at the Dees.

Hill turned heads at GMHBA Stadium on the weekend, kicking four goals in a VFL scratch match against Geelong.

Collingwood have given Hill a road map to redemption, telling him that if he puts in two full weeks of uninterrupted training, the door is ajar for him to be selected for a home preliminary final at the MCG.

He’s played at AFL level just once in the past ten weeks, when he was subbed on to the ground in a 27 point loss to Brisbane at the MCG.

Hill and Betts have been in daily contact for more than a month, with Betts even spotted at Collingwood training less than a fortnight ago to watch Hill.

Collingwood are aware of Betts’ involvement with Hill and are supportive, although the club maintains it has no official relationship with Betts.

It’s not the first time Betts has helped Indigenous footballers who were struggling off the field.

Betts worked with Tyson Stengle when he was a development coach at Geelong, helping him through personal issues. More recently, Betts has spent time trying to help troubled Western Bulldogs star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.

Collingwood coach Craig McRae left the door open for Hill for an unlikely preliminary final or grand final return when he was asked about him after the win over Adelaide. “We’ve still got hope for Bobby, we’ve still got hope.”

But for the black and white army, it was all smiles. Coach Craig McRae was even asked for a selfie by the pilot as he was departing. He duly obliged (imagine if he had said no, lol). McRae will head to the MCG tonight for the blockbuster between Geelong and the Brisbane Lions and will ponder team selection for his third preliminary final as coach.

Jeremy Howe will be banging down the door to come back from an adductor injury, while Tim Membrey and Dan McStay appear to be fighting for the same position.

The Pies travelled to Adelaide with extra security around players, and club sources confirmed it was because of the fallout from Isaac Rankine’s homophobic slur when the teams clashed in round 23.

The booing of Isaac Quaynor left a sour taste, but after Collingwood won there was love everywhere in the Magpie rooms. Chief executive Craig Kelly embraced McRae, McRae smooched wife Gabrielle, and former prez Eddie McGuire was part of the celebrations. Here are some of the scenes.

Most of them carry their own personal drink bottles (which is lucky because Virgin charges for sparkling water – since when did that happen?!) and at least half of them listen to music or watch Netflix (or Stan, sorry Nine).

At 211 centimetres, Mason Cox needed every bit of the extra legroom afforded to those in the first row behind business, while eight rows behind him, Lachie Schultz slept the majority of the flight (Magpie fans will probably see that on socials at some point; the club’s social media team enjoyed filming his nap).

But as the players and coaches touched down at Adelaide airport, it was difficult not to be reminded of the elephant in the state: Izak Rankine.

Less than 24 hours earlier, Rankine had finally addressed the media in person, 18 days since he directed a homophobic slur towards a Collingwood opponent – in fact, it was the last time these two sides met.

He spoke wonderfully well. Raw, honest and contrite. Pity it was so far removed from the actual incident, and local journalists are still hunting the story because the player is yet to be asked any questions about it.

Collingwood assistant coach Matthew Boyd spoke at the airport on Wednesday, not far away from where Rankine had executed the carefully media managed statement in front of what appeared to be half of South Australia’s press.

But no one at Collingwood wants to talk about either Rankine or the slur. The AFL is doing its best to put it in the rearview mirror. Hell, even Boyd said Rankine hadn’t been mentioned in the build-up to the spicy qualifying final.

“No, not at all. That’s an AFL issue and something they were able to handle and Izak handled that himself so we haven’t really discussed that at all.”

Curious, given he is pretty much the Crows’ best player. Surely the Pies have spoken about his absence?

“They’ve still got the same amount of players out on the field that we’ve got. They’re a talented team and they’re not talented because of one player. They’re a really good system-based team and have some great players out there that we will have to curtail.”

Collingwood may not want to discuss Rankine, but here are some of my thoughts.

As mentioned previously, I thought Rankine spoke extremely well.

First, he said he wasn’t the victim. Tick.

Second, why on earth wasn’t someone else from the club standing alongside him?

That point wasn’t lost on premiership coach Paul Roos on Wednesday. He felt coach Matthew Nicks should have been there.

“If it was me, I would have been there with the player, addressed it collectively, taken questions as a footy club, maybe with the CEO as well and finally put it to bed,” he said on the ABC’s podcast AFL Daily.

Third, Rankine said there was no excuse for what he said. Again, commendable. But then why did the club spend the best part of a week trying to reduce the suspension?

Perhaps we should pose that very question to Nicks tomorrow night. Let’s see if they win, first.

What resulted was the following deal – Hutchison would give a bottle of 1996 Penfolds Grange to each person for every year that Gold Coast didn’t play finals. But he expected a bottle per person for every year they did. It’s been an expensive 14 years for Hutchison.

Though he didn’t respond to my enquiries, he did address the story on his podcast, The Sounding Board (which is usually great listening, by the way).

Things didn’t get off to a great start. He began by telling co-host Damian Barrett, a journalist with Nine and AFL.com.au, that he hadn’t read the story.

He then proceeded to comment on every element of the story … kind of. Rookie error.

“There’s elements of that story that were in that story that were true, there are elements that are a fair way from the mark, and I’m not really going to get into detail,” Hutchison said.

Well, hang on, which bits aren’t true?

“I don’t want to get into it because it was a private thing. It involves some other media owners.

“It’s just a bit of harmless fun.”

I never suggested otherwise. So why so defensive?

“I’ve had a little bit of fun. I was a believer in the Suns. I’ve had a little bit of fun along the way, saying I thought they’d make the finals pretty quickly, they haven’t.

“We’ve had some tongue-in-cheek, notional, indicative predictions every year, but nothing like you’ve read in the story.

“Half of that has some elements of truth, the other half is wildly inaccurate. It’s been fairly harmless, when no value has changed hands.”

The one thing he would confirm?

“It’s true that I’ve had a lunch at the end of every year to have a bit of fun.”

Having a bit of fun, sure. But to say “no value has changed hands”? That sounds like something you might hear from a lawyer.

It prompted me to think of the 1997 movie Liar Liar, in which Jim Carrey’s character Fletcher Reede stands up in a courtroom and proclaims: “The truth shall set you free!”

(Yes, yes – it’s originally a quote from the Bible, I know.)

As an aside, Caroline Wilson, a columnist with this masthead, made the point that there might well be some serious questions to be asked about the situation.

“Are AFL bosses allowed to bet on footy?” she said on Seven’s Agenda Setters.

So convinced was Hutchison that the AFL’s new boys would be too successful, too soon, that he was willing to put his money where his mouth was.

Unfortunately for Hutchison, the three gentlemen who just happened to overhear his pronouncement had a particular interest in football. Those three amigos? Gillon McLachlan (who was not yet CEO), then legal boss Andrew Dillon and then fixture/broadcast guru Simon Lethlean. All three were significantly involved in the launch of the Suns ... and all three loved their wine.

“I’m willing to have a bottle of Grange on it,” Hutchison quipped.

“On what?” retorted the amigos.

This was the deal: Hutchison would give a bottle of 1996 Penfolds Grange to each person for every year that Gold Coast didn’t play finals. But he expected a bottle per person for every year they did.

The three amigos were in, and they were keen to get more people involved. Some of the invitees were 3AW powerbroker Shane Healy and former AFL executive Richard Simkiss (who now runs Hutchison’s events arm).

It’s turned out to be a tough 14 years for Hutchison who, it must be said, has blown people away with the way he has honoured the agreement.

Each year, without fail, Hutchison has literally wined and dined the group, handing over a bottle of fine wine to each of the participants and paying the bill for lunch at the end of each season.

The first iteration was at Scopri, one of Melbourne’s finest Italian restaurants in Carlton. The most recent was at the world-renowned Gimlet, where the lobster will set you back $188.

One year he even flew the group (in a private jet, of course) to Adelaide for the day.

For Hutchison, a ruthless businessman who knows how to save a dollar, it’s been a costly exercise.

There have been other people who have floated in and out of the group collecting their annual bottles of Grange, for different seasons, so it’s difficult to put an exact figure on just how much Hutchison has forked out. But we know there have been at least six people who have cashed in every year.

Now, maths was never my strong suit at school, so bear with me.

A bottle of 1996 Grange (I’ve never tasted it but heard great things) will set you back $1499 at Dan Murphy’s. Six bottles every year for 14 years is 84 bottles.

84 x $1499 = $125,916. That’s before lunches are paid for – or the private jet.

And you haven’t even heard the worst part.

As the Suns entered their second year under Damien Hardwick in 2025, things were getting a little boring for the participants. They were, apparently, sick of collecting a bottle of $1500 wine every year. So the terms of the agreement were changed.

Hutchison was allowed to pick two fringe teams to play finals, with the carrot of a doubled reward if they both made it. The stick? If both teams missed, that would be another bottle of Grange. Each. Who did he pick? Carlton and Essendon.

Those picks meant Hutchison didn’t collect his bottles for Gold Coast making finals for the first time.

It’s enough to make you squeamish.

And it gives a bit of an insight into just how much was riding on that last game of the season for Hutchison, when the Suns had to beat Essendon to secure a September debut.

Had the Bombers somehow pulled off the upset of the season, the Suns would have missed the eight (again) and “Hutchy” would have been up for 12 more bottles of Grange ($17,988).