After a season full of excitement and dare, 2023 is sure to be harder for Collingwood.
However, small forward Jack Ginnivan has been tipped to avoid a form drop-off and excel off the back of his first full season of AFL.
The 20-year-old, in his second year on Collingwood’s list, was impressive throughout 2022, finishing with 40 goals to his name. In a year full of controversy and headlines, Ginnivan continued to let his footy do the talking.
His haul of 40 majors was the second-most of any Magpie that year, bettered only by Brody Mihocek’s 41.
With another year under his belt, Collingwood fans would hope for continued development from the small forward. But former Geelong and Swans forward Daniel Menzel warns Ginnivan needs to avoid a precedent.
Despite Menzel tipping Ginnivan to be the club’s most improved once again in 2023, he hopes the youngster won’t follow the trail trod by Jaidyn Stephenson.
“The most improved for mine (in 2023), Jack Ginnivan,” Menzel said on Sportsday SA.
“He’s going into his third season, he kicked 40 goals in his second year, and his first full season at AFL level last year was very similar to that of Jaidyn Stephenson in his first year at the Pies when he kicked 38 goals.
“So the question mark for me is can he continue his development and ascend into an extremely good player in the AFL competition? I think he can and I think he’ll be the most improved for them again this year.”
After being taken with pick six in the 2017 draft and booting 38 goals in his debut year as an agile forward, Stephenson dropped off in his following years at Collingwood. He hasn’t kicked more than 17 goals in his last three seasons and was traded to North Melbourne at the end of 2020.
But Ginnivan played just five games in his debut season, and after being given more time to develop, can shine again in 2023.
But Menzel is less optimistic about the Pies improving in 2023.
Few could have predicted the success Craig McRae would imprint in his first season while also setting a clear blueprint for success in the future.
It was only fitting that the Magpies’ final game of the season came with a typical barnstorming finish, before uncharacteristically falling a point short in the Preliminary Final against Sydney.
But the miracles in close games, along with a tough draw to start the season, has McRae’s side poised to take a slight dip in 2023.
“I have them finishing 8th in 2023, that might be low for Collingwood fans and I understand that, but they won nine games by under 10 points last season. They are not going to do that this year,” Menzel offered.
“That is almost impossible… those results will not go the same way, they’re going to lose a few of those closer games and that’s why I’ve got them dropping a little bit down the ladder.
“The other thing that worries me is their start to the season. They play Geelong away, they play Port Adelaide at home, Richmond at home and Brisbane away, they could easily be 0-4, am I wrong?”