Toby Greene hits out with subtle message after possible eye-gouge ...

27 Aug 2023
Toby Greene

Toby Greene has shone the spotlight squarely in the face of Jacob Weitering and, more significantly, the AFL, after an incident between the two players on Sunday night.

Weitering attempted to pull Greene off Blues teammate Mitch McGovern when the pair tangled moments before half-time.

Replays showed he made contact with his fingers near Greene’s left eye.

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The scuffle continued and Greene was then sent from the field under the blood rule with a cut near his right eye.

The GWS captain returned with bandaging around his head and was one of his side’s best in the Giants’ crucial triumph, which secured a top-eight spot in Adam Kingsley’s first season as coach.

Greene himself was handed a one-match ban for making “unreasonable or unnecessary contact to the eye region” of Brisbane’s Lachie Neale in 2019.

When sked about Sunday’s moment immediately after the game, Greene had a long memory, subtly pointing the finger at the AFL for what he may think should happen next.

“He might be in trouble; I think I got in trouble for that, so we’ll see how he goes,” Greene said.

Greene restrained himself from retaliating to Weitering in the moment, which he was also asked about by Fox Sports’ Sarah Jones.

Toby Greene had some choice words on the incident after the game. Credit: Fox SportsJacob Weitering appeared to make contact with Toby Greene’s eye region. Credit: Fox Sports

She said: “The more mature Toby Greene just reacted quite sensibly to that — do you feel like you’ve learnt a bit?”

Clearly biting his tongue, Greene responded: “Ah... Yeah, that’s alright. I was hoping for a free kick. That’s fine.”

The AFL’s Match Review Officer is certain to examine the incident and come up with a finding on Monday, which could have massive implications for the Blues’ elimination final against Sydney in two weeks.

Beating the in-form team of the competition, GWS snatched an AFL finals berth, displacing the Western Bulldogs in the top eight with a 32-point win over Carlton in the last match of the home-and-away season.

Greene kicked four goals and Jake Riccardi three in the Giants’ 16.9 (105) to 11.7 (73) victory on Sunday at Marvel Stadium.

The margin wasn’t quite great enough for GWS to earn a home final as they finished seventh on percentage behind St Kilda, who they will face in an elimination final in Melbourne.

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Carlton, who celebrated Charlie Curnow securing a second straight Coleman Medal, were locked in to finish fifth regardless of the result and will host Sydney in their knockout final.

But they will now sweat on the availability of key defender Weitering and Blake Acres (collarbone).

Former skipper Stephen Coniglio celebrated his 200th game with two goals from 28 disposals and Tom Green (35 disposals, eight clearances), Josh Kelly (27 touches) and Lachie Whitfield (32) also had a major influence.

Brent Daniels (23 touches, one goal) was lively and creative in attack.

Jake Riccardi (L) played a key role as GWS secured a finals berth in a 32-point win over Carlton. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP

Riccardi kicked the first two in the Giants’ four-goal run late in the third quarter, which broke the game open.

Carlton midfielders Sam Walsh (27 disposals, seven clearances) and Adam Cerra (23, six) made seamless returns from hamstring injuries, while Acres racked up 21 touches in a strong showing before being substituted out midway through the third term.

Curnow kicked two first-quarter goals to move past Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker in the Coleman Medal race.

The Blues’ spearhead finished with three to take his career-best season tally to 78.

But GWS were well served by defender Jack Buckley, who kept Curnow relatively quiet after quarter-time in the absence of Sam Taylor, a late withdrawal with a hamstring injury.

- With AAP

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