The small forward has been a revelation in his second season, booting 32 goals and playing a major role in the Magpies' unexpected rise up the ladder.

But Ginnivan, who has a knack of drawing free kicks, has been at the centre of media and public debate around the tactic all year.

The AFL last month even publicly cracked down on players drawing free kicks by contributing to high contact.

Heat on Ginnivan has died down in recent weeks, but the 19-year-old has opened up about the impact it had on him.

After Collingwood's round-20 win against Port Adelaide, Ginnivan said his rapid rise to fame had taken a toll.

"It's definitely a weird experience, this whole year, from being a nobody, no one knowing who I was to round one and the (media commentator) Kane Cornes (criticism)," Ginnivan told the Ball Magnets podcast.

"It's been a little bit of a hard experience, I don't want to throw mental health around lightly because it definitely has had an effect on me."

Ginnivan said he escaped the Melbourne AFL fishbowl by going back to his family home in Castlemaine to unwind.

"A couple of weeks ago I went home, just sort of had a few days off because I was so emotionally and mentally drained from everything that's happened," he said.

"Footy was becoming sort of a chore.

"The way I was performing sort of just dragged me down and every time I went out on the field I was already defeated for those two weeks against Adelaide and Essendon."

Hawthorn champion Tom Mitchell, who co-hosts the Ball Magnets podcast, said AFL players had become used to seeking help for their mental health.

"It used to be very hidden, but it's so open now," Mitchell said.

"It's the big transformation I've seen during my footy career, I've been in the AFL system for 11 years."

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Australian Associated Press