Toby Greene

Greene grew up in Ashburton and attended Wesley College in Glen Waverley. He was recruited by {{AFL GWS}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Ash Thursday |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/ash-thursday-20111120-1npfc.html |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=amp.theage.com.au}}

Greene played in the Greater Western Sydney's first season in 2012, debuting in round one against {{AFL Syd}}. A prolific ball-winner,{{cite news|title=GWS midfielder Toby Greene averages more disposals per game than any 18-year-old in the modern era|first= Mark |last=Stevens |date=24 August 2012|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/gws-midfielder-toby-greene-averages-more-disposals-per-game-than-any-18-year-old-in-the-modern-era/story-e6frf3e3-1226457400216#ixzz2MFvhm2SH}} 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.{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/toby-greene-features-in-giants-awards/story-fnca0u4y-1226466831813 |title=Toby Greene features in Giants' awards |first=Peter|last=Lalor |work=The Australian |date=7 September 2012}}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-09-17/giants-challenge-fails-tribunal-stuns-gws-superstar-banned-for-prelim|title=Challenge fails: Superstar Giant still banned, but will GWS appeal?|website=afl.com.au|date=17 September 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-09-17}}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/stats/stats-pro#/Discover/CD_I295344/Greene-Toby|title=Toby Greene|website=afl.com.au|language=en|access-date=2021-08-29}}

In the 2022 AFL season, Greene came back from his suspension with 37 goals for the season,{{Cite news | title=afl tables of Toby Greene|url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/T/Toby_Greene.html#teamp/access-date=2022-19-11|language=en}} 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.{{cite web | url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-awards-2023-live-coverage-of-all-australian-team-annoucement-20230830-p5e0pp.html | title=As it happened: All-Australian team's dynamic new dozen; Bont's AFLPA MVP honour | date=30 August 2023 }}

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.{{Cite web|title=TOBY TROUBLE: 22 charges, six bans, nearly $30K in fines|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/673086/tobys-track-record-22-charges-six-suspensions-nearly-30k-fines|access-date=2021-09-03|website=afl.com.au|date=30 August 2021 |language=en}} Greene stated in 2017 that he has been unable to contain his rage in certain situations,{{Cite news |title=Firebrand Toby Greene's search for atonement at GWS Giants|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/firebrand-toby-greenes-search-for-atonement-at-gws-giants/news-story/1500d78dc541c228fb20b5eedece21d8}} gaining a reputation for being one of the dirtiest players in the AFL.{{Cite news |first=Jon |last=Ralph |date=23 July 2017 |title=Leon Cameron wants to fix Toby Greene's ill discipline as report swung momentum Tigers' way |newspaper=Herald Sun |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/gws/leon-cameron-wants-to-fix-toby-greenes-ill-discipline-as-report-swung-momentum-tigers-way/news-story/79304521c86eec609a3479b5e359db42 |access-date=2021-08-31}}

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.{{Cite news |last=Cherny|first=Daniel|date=2021-08-31|title=Toby Greene verdict LIVE updates: AFL unhappy as GWS star banned for three matches|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/toby-greene-verdict-live-updates-gws-star-fronts-tribunal-over-making-contact-with-umpire-20210831-p58ndx.html|access-date=2021-08-31|website=The Age|language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2021-08-31|title='Not a good look for the game': Toby Greene banned for three games over umpire bump|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-31/gws-toby-greene-fronts-afl-tribunal-over-umpire-bump-charge/100420434|access-date=2021-08-31|website=abc.net.au|language=en-AU}}{{Cite news |last=McClure|first=Sam|date=2021-08-31|title=McInerney calls for tribunal change, says Greene was 'lucky'|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/mcinerney-calls-for-tribunal-change-says-greene-was-lucky-20210831-p58njs.html|access-date=2021-08-31|website=The Age|language=en}} 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.{{Cite news |last=McClure|first=Sam|date=2021-08-31|title=McInerney calls for tribunal change, says Greene was 'lucky'|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/mcinerney-calls-for-tribunal-change-says-greene-was-lucky-20210831-p58njs.html|access-date=2021-08-31|website=The Age|language=en}} 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".{{Cite news |title=Gillon McLachlan perplexed by Toby Greene ban as AFL considers appeal|url=https://www.sen.com.au/news/2021/08/31/mclachlan-perplexed-by-greene-ban-as-afl-considers-appeal/|access-date=2021-09-02|language=en}} On 7 October 2021, the AFL Appeals Board increased the penalty to a six-game suspension.{{Cite news |title=GWS Giants' Toby Greene suspended for six AFL games for making contact with an umpire|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-07/gws-giants-toby-greene-suspended-six-games-umpire-contact/100520134|access-date=2021-10-07|website=abc.net.au|language=en}}

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.{{cite news |url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-05-13/player-charged|title=Toby Greene charged over night club incident |first=James |last=Dampney |work= AFL Official Website |date=13 May 2014}} He faced court on 9 December 2014 on a charge of unlawful assault and was fined $2,500 but escaped conviction.{{Cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/greater-western-sydney-player-toby-greene-fined-after-assault-at-zagames-20141209-123e56.html|title=Greater Western Sydney player Toby Greene fined after assault at Zagame's|date=2014-12-09|website=The Age|access-date=2016-08-27}}

: Statistics are correct to the end of 2024{{cite web |url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/T/Toby_Greene.html |title=Toby Greene's player profile at AFL Tables |website=afltables.com}}

{{Australian rules football statistics legend|s=y}}

{{AFL player statistics start with votes}}

|-

| 2012 || {{AFL GWS}}|| 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 || {{AFL GWS}} || 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 || {{AFL GWS}} || 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 || {{AFL GWS}} || 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 || {{AFL GWS}} || 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 || {{AFL GWS}} || 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 || {{AFL GWS}} || 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 || {{AFL GWS}} || 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{{efn|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.}} || {{AFL GWS}} || 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 || {{AFL GWS}} || 4

| 18 || 45 || bgcolor=CAE1FF | 41^† || 232 || 77 || 309 || 78 || 39 || 2.5 || bgcolor=CAE1FF | 2.3^† || 12.9 || 4.3 || 17.2 || 4.3 || 2.2 || 6

|-

| 2022 || {{AFL GWS}} || 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 || {{AFL GWS}} || 4

| 24 || 66 || 35 || 289 || 137 || 426 || 106 || 60 || 2.8 || 1.5 || 12.0 || 5.7 || 17.8 || 4.4 || 2.5 || 20

|-

| 2024 || {{AFL GWS}} || 4

| 24 || 44 || 33 || 257 || 109 || 366 || 101 || 58 || 1.8 || 1.4 || 10.7 || 4.5 || 15.3 || 4.2 || 2.4 || 10

|- class=sortbottom

! colspan=3 | Career

! 239 !! 375 !! 247 !! 2886 !! 1954 !! 4840 !! 1113 !! 643 !! 1.6 !! 1.0 !! 12.1 !! 8.2 !! 20.3 !! 4.7 !! 2.7 !! 82

|}

Notes

{{notelist}}

• All-Australian team: 2016, 2021, 2023 (c)
• AFL Rising Star nominee: 2012
• Kevin Sheedy Medal: 2016, 2023
• GWS leading goalkicker: 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023
• Greater Western Sydney Giants inaugural team
• Greater Western Sydney Giants Rising Star: 2012
• Greater Western Sydney Giants Members Choice Award: 2012
• Greater Western Sydney Giants Leading Disposal Getter: 2012
• Greater Western Sydney Giants Mark of the Year: 2017
• Greater Western Sydney Giants Life Member

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{GWSplayer}}
• {{AFL Tables|T/Toby_Greene}}

{{Greater Western Sydney player squad}}

{{Greater Western Sydney Giants captains}}

{{Current AFL captains}}

{{Kevin Sheedy Medal}}

{{Greater Western Sydney leading goalkickers}}

{{Inaugural Greater Western Sydney Giants team}}

{{Brett Kirk Medal}}

{{All-Australian captains}}

{{2016 All-Australian team}}

{{2021 All-Australian team}}

{{2023 All-Australian team}}

{{2020 Victorian team players}}

{{2012 AFL Rising Star nominees}}

{{2011 AFL national draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Greene, Toby}}

Category:1993 births

Category:Living people

Category:Greater Western Sydney Giants players

Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)

Category:Oakleigh Chargers players

Category:People educated at Wesley College (Victoria)

Category:All-Australians (AFL)

Category:Kevin Sheedy Medal winners

Category:People from the City of Boroondara