GWS star Toby Greene free to face Brisbane Lions after being fined by AFL tribunal

The GWS Giants' finals momentum continues to roll after star forward Toby Greene avoided suspension at the AFL Tribunal despite pleading guilty to serious misconduct charges.  RECAP MONDAY'S FOOTY NEWS

Toby Greene at the tribunal.

GWS Giants’ star midfielder Toby Greene is free to play in Saturday night’s semi-final against Brisbane after a clear medical report helped save him at the AFL tribunal.

Greene copped a heavy $7500 fine for vigorously rubbing the face and pulling the hair of Western Bulldogs’ jet midfielder Marcus Bontempelli in Saturday’s elimination final.

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But significantly, the man who carries the reputation as one of footy’s biggest villains was not charged with eye-gouging or scratching Bontempelli’s face.

The Bulldogs’ medical report was pivotal for Greene, 25, as it said Bontempelli was uninjured in their first term skirmish.

Greene pleaded guilty to the serious misconduct charge, increasing his massive rap sheet.

But the outcome is a massive relief for the Giants and for Greene, who booted three goals and had 20 disposals in the win over the Dogs, and is one of their most dangerous and important players.

Greene said afterwards he looked forward to taking on the Lions at the Gabba.

"I would just like to thank the tribunal for a fair hearing and I apologise to Marcus for my actions," Greene said.

"Obviously it was nervous times there and I'm extremely apologetic for what I did but I can't wait to get out there on Saturday."

But Greene’s bad boy reputation remains as the matchwinner has now been found guilty of 17 offences and fined more than $25,000 for a long list of incidents.

Replayed vision showed Greene clearly push down on the onballer’s head, rub his face and pull Bontempelli’s hair at Giants’ Stadium.

Greene gave a short statement in the hearing, saying he was sorry for his actions.

“I overstepped the mark in terms of my remonstration. I understand it’s not a great look,” Greene said.

While Bontempelli did not provide evidence in the hearing, the medical report weighed significantly in Greene’s favour and provided little ground for eye-gouging accusations to stand up.

Bontempelli did not require any treatment or leave the ground as a result of the tangle with Greene, as the Bulldogs triumphed by 58 points.

AFL legal counsel Jeff Gleeson QC pushed for a $7500 fine reduced to $5000 taking into account Greene’s remorse.

“His hand moves across Marcus Bontempelli’s face, (but) not in manner that causes any eye gouging or scratching,” Gleeson said.

“Then his arm vigorously goes down on to his head, and then there is the pulling of the hair.”

Greene said he was reacting to a dangerous tackle moments earlier from Bontempelli on teammate Brett Deledio.

Greene’s advocate Adrian Anderson, a former AFL operations manager, said Bontempelli barely reacted to the skirmish, suggesting the contact was minimal.

“There was no remonstration, no grabbing the face, he (Bontempelli) just gets on with it,” Anderson said.

“There was no (serious) impact, or injury resulting, so it’s important to bear that in mind.”

Originally published as GWS star Toby Greene free to face Brisbane Lions after being fined by AFL tribunal

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