Toby Greene inconsolable after below-par performance in GWS Giants’ grand final loss to Richmond

Toby Greene won’t face any penalties after tangling with Tiger Liam Baker but his coach fears he will blame himself for the Giants’ Grand Final capitulation.

Hard man Toby Greene was inconsolable in the GWS Giants rooms on Saturday night, with his coach fearing he will blame himself for the Grand Final humiliation.

Leon Cameron says the amount of responsibility Greene would take for his team’s capitulation on the biggest stage was “not healthy” and indicated the club would be putting work into ensuring one of the game’s biggest stars is able to keep things in perspective.

RECAP THE DECIDER: WHERE IT WAS WON BY TIGERS

Greene exploded with unbridled joy at full-time of the preliminary final after suspension had forced him to ride every moment from the boundary line.

But on Saturday night the 26-year-old experienced how brutal the other end of the spectrum can be. He struggled to make an impact on the match.

A shattered Toby Greene comes to terms with GWS’ heavy Grand Final defeat. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Greene was comforted by mum, Kate, and close friend Jeremy Cameron in the rooms, as the emotion overcame him.

Even NSW tourism minister Stuart Ayres and former Giants employee Craig Lambert came to console a young man who was distraught.

Toby Greene sobbing in GWS rooms before mum Kate pulls him in close.
“I said: ‘You should be proud of yourself, proud of your team & you can hold your head high’,” Kate Greene says.
“He will take it hard & that’s Toby. This is his life. He loves football and losing hurts." #AFLGF

— Sam Edmund (@SammyHeraldSun) September 28, 2019

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The Giants love Greene because he cares, but Cameron admits there can be a downside.

“Toby is disappointed, like everyone. He wears his heart on his sleeve, he’s a competitor and things didn’t go to the level he wanted them today,” Cameron said.

“He’s hurting at the moment because he’s the ultimate team player, he wants to be there when the whips are cracking for our footy team.

Stop defending Toby Greene. This is continued trash behaviour. #AFLGF

— Nick Sculley (@sculls_6) September 28, 2019

Let’s replay the Greene ‘face massage’ repeatedly but when Cotchin did it to Mummy 10 mins ago it was just testing the big guy out because he is ‘clumsy’. #AFLGF

— Paul Zauch (@PaulZauch) September 28, 2019

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“He will learn from that and if I know Toby, he will not use one excuse, he will put his hand up and he will probably go too far and blame himself, which is not healthy.

“He needs to understand that the 22 didn’t get the job done today, not Toby Greene.”

Will Toby Greene be in trouble for this incident with Liam Baker?

Commentators once again put Greene under the microscope over an incident where he appeared to run his hand over the face of Richmond’s Liam Baker.

AFL legend Wayne Carey said it was no worse than several other similar incidents in the match.

Match review offcer Michael Christian agreed, clearing Greene after reviewing footage of the incident on Sunday.

He also decided no action was necessary after Jeremy Cameron flattened Baker with a late bump in the third quarter.

Baker, 21, was aware after the match that the footage of him grappling with Greene had spread like wildfire but said while Greene was a “fierce competitor” there was little in the exchange.

The young Tiger reported no discomfort from the incident that went viral on social media.

Cameron said the best was to come for Greene, confident 2020 can be his best season.

“The pleasing thing with Toby is that his body, he hasn’t had any pre-seasons for the last two years, he has had some issues with his ankle, we feel as though he will have his six or seven weeks off and then come back with a real appetite,” Cameron said.

“Again, he’s another player that is just about to hit his prime”

Cotchin went hard at Mumford #AFLGF pic.twitter.com/XWF4dYZkeH

— Lace out (@laceoutofficial) September 28, 2019

Originally published as Toby Greene inconsolable after below-par performance in GWS Giants’ grand final loss to Richmond