MITCHELL JOHNSON: Jack Ginnivan should keep backing himself with Hawthorn Hawks after Ken Hinkley stoush

In the lead-up to a big series, Australian cricket great Glenn McGrath used to give a prediction for the final scoreline.

Invariably, McGrath’s forecast would be for a clean sweep to Australia and it was received in the spirit it was given. His 5-0 Ashes predictions generated plenty of headlines, but everyone knew they were a bit tongue-in-cheek. Some light-hearted banter.

The fast-bowling legend was prepared to risk being abused and smashed by the opposition and opposite country’s media if Australia lost. McGrath and his team were usually good enough to back up the talk.

I don’t see much difference with Jack Ginnivan’s infamous “see u in 14 days” social media message to Sydney’s Brodie Grundy.

Port Adelaide had the last laugh and Ginnivan learnt a valuable lesson but there’s been a lot of overreactions in the past week.

The young forward didn’t cost Hawthorn the match. Port’s $20,000 fine from the AFL was way over the top. And Ken Hinkley having a go at Ginnivan was an overreaction in the first place.

This has come back to bite Ginnivan and he was made to look a bit silly. He has to accept it and move on.

But calls for him to change are off the mark. Ginnivan is his own person and it’s his career. Footy’s a team game but the Hawks knew what they were getting from Collingwood when they traded him in.

As for going to the races the night before last year’s grand final or the pub the night before this year’s qualifying final? No problem.

In fact, if I was Sam Mitchell I’d have let him have a beer with his pub meal rather than water if that helps him to feel relaxed.

Having one beer would have zero impact on a footballer’s performance the following day.

If there is a team rule in place against touching alcohol at all during the finals, then that’s a different situation.

Ultimately, this is a 21-year-old trying to figure out his life and doing in the spotlight. He’s trying to balance loyalty to his mates outside footy with loyalty to his teammates and the club that employs him.

Ginnivan has a choice of how he wants his career to look, how he wants to be remembered and what legacy he wants to leave.

Being a professional athlete does not exclude you from all aspects of living life. Be smart about your choices, but that will come with some mistakes along the way as you find the balance.

The life of a professional athlete is funny in this new day and age. With social media all the rage, players are judged far beyond the boundary line.

As fans, we can’t have it all. We can’t want to see more and demand athletes with a personality over robots and then criticise players who don’t conform perfectly.

And players need to be true to themselves. Understand that you can’t and won’t be liked by all – and that’s perfectly OK.

Hinkley quickly admitted he was in the wrong and apologised but what did he do to warrant such a huge fine? It’s not like the altercation turned physical. It was actually pretty tame as far as sledging goes.

It doesn’t make much sense to me to punish a coach for being a little over the top in his reaction following a close game and a stressful week.

As a coach, Hinkley knows he could have dealt with it in a classier manner. It wasn’t even necessary as the scoreboard would have hurt Ginnivan more than anything Hinkley could say. But it’s understandable when you consider the pressure he must have felt leading into another potential straight-sets finals exit.

In the end, everyone walks away looking a bit silly. But if their crime was passion and a bit of fire in the belly, I’d say good contest, play on.