Toby Greene
Greene playing for Greater Western Sydney in June 2017
Personal information
Full name Toby Greene
Date of birth (1993-09-25) 25 September 1993 (age 30)
Place of birth Melbourne
Original team(s) Oakleigh Chargers (TAC Cup)/Ashburton Redbacks(YJFL)/Wesley College (APS)
Draft No. 11, 2011 national draft: Greater Western Sydney
Debut Round 1, 2012, Greater Western Sydney vs. Sydney, at Stadium Australia
Height 182 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 85 kg (187 lb)
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current club Greater Western Sydney
Number 4
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2012– Greater Western Sydney 215 (331)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
2020 Victoria 1 (4)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2023.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Toby Greene (born 25 September 1993) is a professional Australian rules footballer and the captain of the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was recruited by the Greater Western Sydney Giants with the 11th overall selection in the 2011 national draft.

In 2016, he was selected in the All-Australian team as the half-forward flank;[1] in the same year, he won the Kevin Sheedy Medal as the club's best and fairest.[2]

Greene was named co-captain of the Giants ahead of the 2022 AFL season, before assuming solo captaincy in 2023.[3]

AFL career

Greene attended Wesley College in Glen Waverley. He was recruited by Greater Western Sydney with the 11th overall selection in the 2011 national draft. He played junior football for Ashburton Redbacks alongside future AFL stars Tom Mitchell and Jack Viney.[4]

Greene played in the Greater Western Sydney's first season in 2012, debuting in round one against Sydney. A prolific ball-winner,[5] he won the Giants' best first year player award in 2012 and was the runner-up in the Kevin Sheedy Medal as the club's best and fairest. He was nominated for the AFL Rising Star in 2012 award but was ineligible to win it due to being found guilty for a bumping offence earlier in the season.[6]

In 2017, Greene won the Giants' leading goalkicker award with 45 goals for the season. He came equal first with teammates Jonathan Patton and Jeremy Cameron.

On 17 September 2019, Greene had his one-match suspension upheld by the AFL Tribunal for making contact with the eyes of Lachie Neale, making Greene unavailable for Greater Western Sydney's Preliminary Final match against Collingwood.[7]

Greene was able to continue with good form in the 2020 AFL season and enhanced his reputation as a match-winner. Greene was critical in the Giants' wins over eventual grand finalists Geelong and Richmond with four- and five-goal hauls, respectively, in victories. The dynamic forward missed four games due to knee and hamstring issues, but he still polled 12 Brownlow Medal votes—comfortably the most at the club.[8]

In the 2022 AFL season, Greene came back from his suspension with 37 goals for the season,[9] with a season-high tally of 7 goals in Round 14 against the Western Bulldogs. On 30 August 2023, Greene was selected as the captain in the 2023 All-Australian team.[10]

Discipline

During Greene's playing career, he has received a total of 22 AFL Tribunal charges or match review panel citations, six suspensions, and nearly $30,000 in fines.[11] Greene stated in 2017 that he has been unable to contain his rage in certain situations,[12] gaining a reputation for being one of the dirtiest players in the AFL.[13]

During a one-point victory in the second elimination final of 2021, Greene was reported for making intentional contact with umpire Matt Stevic and was subsequently suspended for three weeks. With the Giants deciding not to appeal the suspension, Greene was out of the remainder of the 2021 AFL finals series.[14][15][16] Nevertheless, former umpire Shane McInerney—who retired in 2019 after umpiring a record 500 games, including 26 finals—believes Greene was "lucky" to get away with a three-match suspension.[17] On 1 September 2021, AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said he was considering appealing Greene's three-match ban in an attempt to suspend Greene for more matches, saying he found the tribunal decision "perplexing".[18] On 7 October 2021, the AFL Appeals Board increased the penalty to a six-game suspension.[19]

Assault charge

On 13 May 2014, Greene was charged with a number of offences, including assault with a dangerous weapon and intentionally causing serious injury, over an alleged assault at a Melbourne licensed venue the previous night.[20] He faced court on 9 December 2014 on a charge of unlawful assault and was fined $2,500 but escaped conviction.[21]

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of Round 8, 2023[22]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
  †  
 Led the league for 
the season
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2012 Greater Western Sydney 35 19 8 10 273 266 539 73 63 0.4 0.5 14.4 14.0 28.4 3.8 3.3 4
2013 Greater Western Sydney 4 19 4 5 226 208 434 69 42 0.2 0.3 11.9 11.0 22.8 3.6 2.2 0
2014 Greater Western Sydney 4 15 7 2 197 225 422 81 62 0.5 0.1 13.1 15.0 28.1 5.4 4.1 3
2015 Greater Western Sydney 4 22 15 12 239 263 502 107 69 0.7 0.6 10.9 12.0 22.8 4.9 3.1 3
2016 Greater Western Sydney 4 23 44 27 285 204 489 112 84 1.9 1.2 12.4 8.9 21.3 4.9 3.7 6
2017 Greater Western Sydney 4 19 45 28 227 119 346 110 53 2.4 1.5 12.0 6.3 18.2 5.8 2.8 8
2018 Greater Western Sydney 4 9 16 10 96 46 142 42 8 1.8 1.1 10.7 5.1 15.8 4.7 0.9 1
2019 Greater Western Sydney 4 19 27 14 283 161 444 104 64 1.4 0.7 14.9 8.5 23.4 5.5 3.4 6
2020[a] Greater Western Sydney 4 13 17 11 122 84 206 52 19 1.3 0.9 9.4 6.5 15.9 4.0 1.5 12
2021 Greater Western Sydney 4 18 45 41† 232 77 309 78 39 2.5 2.3† 12.9 4.3 17.2 4.3 2.2 6
2022 Greater Western Sydney 4 15 37 19 160 55 215 78 22 2.5 1.3 10.7 3.7 14.3 5.2 1.5 3
2023 Greater Western Sydney 4 21 60 31 253 122 375 95 57 2.8 1.5 11.1 6.9 18.0 4.8 2.5 20
Career 212 325 191 2429 1763 4192 944 545 1.4 0.9 12.2 8.8 21.0 4.7 2.7 52

Notes

  1. ^ The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Honours and achievements

References

  1. ^ Schmook, Nathan (1 September 2016). "All Australian: Five Swans in 2016's best 22". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  2. ^ Curley, Adam (7 October 2016). "Giant Toby Greene caps breakout year with Kevin Sheedy Medal". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  3. ^ Smith, Martin (15 February 2023). "'I've come a long way': Greene shoots into sole captaincy at Giants". AFL Media. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Ash Thursday". amp.theage.com.au. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  5. ^ Stevens, Mark (24 August 2012). "GWS midfielder Toby Greene averages more disposals per game than any 18-year-old in the modern era".
  6. ^ Lalor, Peter (7 September 2012). "Toby Greene features in Giants' awards". The Australian.
  7. ^ "Challenge fails: Superstar Giant still banned, but will GWS appeal?". afl.com.au. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  8. ^ "Toby Greene". afl.com.au. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  9. ^ "afl tables of Toby Greene".
  10. ^ https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-awards-2023-live-coverage-of-all-australian-team-annoucement-20230830-p5e0pp.html
  11. ^ "TOBY TROUBLE: 22 charges, six bans, nearly $30K in fines". afl.com.au. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Firebrand Toby Greene's search for atonement at GWS Giants".
  13. ^ Ralph, Jon (23 July 2017). "Leon Cameron wants to fix Toby Greene's ill discipline as report swung momentum Tigers' way". Herald Sun. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  14. ^ Cherny, Daniel (31 August 2021). "Toby Greene verdict LIVE updates: AFL unhappy as GWS star banned for three matches". The Age. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  15. ^ "'Not a good look for the game': Toby Greene banned for three games over umpire bump". abc.net.au. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  16. ^ McClure, Sam (31 August 2021). "McInerney calls for tribunal change, says Greene was 'lucky'". The Age. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  17. ^ McClure, Sam (31 August 2021). "McInerney calls for tribunal change, says Greene was 'lucky'". The Age. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  18. ^ "Gillon McLachlan perplexed by Toby Greene ban as AFL considers appeal". Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  19. ^ "GWS Giants' Toby Greene suspended for six AFL games for making contact with an umpire". abc.net.au. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  20. ^ Dampney, James (13 May 2014). "Toby Greene charged over night club incident". AFL Official Website.
  21. ^ "Greater Western Sydney player Toby Greene fined after assault at Zagame's". The Age. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  22. ^ "Toby Greene's player profile at AFL Tables". afltables.com.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Toby Greene.
Greater Western Sydney Giants – current squad
Captains of the Greater Western Sydney Giants
Current AFL captains
Kevin Sheedy Medal · Greater Western Sydney Giants best and fairest winners
Greater Western Sydney Giants · leading goalkickers
Inaugural Greater Western Sydney Giants AFL team
2016 All-Australian team
2021 All-Australian team
2023 All-Australian team
Victorian team – State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match
2012 AFL Rising Star nominees
2011 AFL national draft
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