Boost for Giants as Toby Greene set to play against Crows

Toby Greene will put his injury nightmare behind him on Friday night when he lines up for Greater Western Sydney against Adelaide in Canberra.

GWS forward Toby Greene will return from injury. Picture: Getty Images

Toby Greene will put his injury nightmare behind him on Friday night when he lines up for Greater Western Sydney against Adelaide in Canberra.

The JLT Community Series clash will be the forward’s first taste of action since the club’s 2018 semi-final loss to Collingwood at the MCG.

Greene, 25, had ankle surgery in November following a disrupted campaign with a foot injury that restricted him to just nine matches.

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However, he has trained the house down during pre-season and the club confirmed he would get a run at UNSW Canberra Oval as the Giants look to build on their win over the Swans last Saturday.

“He’s done well and worked incredibly hard,” said Wayne Campbell, Giants general manager of football operations.

“He had the operation in the off-season and he’s been really diligent with his recovery. He’s one of our hardest trainers, so there’s never a problem with that. The ankle’s come up really well. He’ll play some limited minutes, he might play half a game. It’ll be good to see him out there.

“We’ll also play a bit of a scratch match between ourselves next weekend, so he’ll get a couple of games under his belt. He’s had a ­really solid block of training and set himself up for a good year.”

Toby Greene will make his return from injury against the Crows. Picture: Getty Images

Green said recently: “It was a frustrating year but you really realise the importance of understanding your body and knowing when to and when not to go too hard.”

His return will boost the Giants’ attacking options and the club is set to enjoy the rare luxury of having Green, Jeremy Cameron and Harry Himmelberg lining up together.

“Last year it didn’t happen very often (Greene, Cameron and Himmelberg all starting),” Campbell said.

“Before the finals, it was probably only once for the year. So to get the three of them out there to get some synergy among them, that will be good.”

Not that the Giants are without other options when it comes to hurting opposing defences.

“Daniel Lloyd played really well last week, Lachie Whitfield, Matt De Boer,” Campbell said. “That’s what you want as a footy club.”

As for the Crows, the Giants are relishing another chance to put things in place ahead of the season opener against Essendon on Sunday, March 24.

“They’ll be really, really competitive,” Campbell said.

“They have a full list to choose from. They are a top-four side who just went down the ladder a bit last year. They played some really good footy in their win last week, so it’ll be a ­really good test again.

“If we acquit ourselves well against the Crows we’ll know we’re going OK.”

As for that looming opener against the Bombers, the Giants will face a side lacking Cale ­Hooker.

The 30-year-old is expected to be sidelined for a month with a calf strain.

Across town, Sydney Swans forward Nick Blakey has accepted a $2000 sanction for striking the ­Giants’ Matt Buntine during the second quarter of the JLT Community Series pre-season clash in Blacktown on Saturday night.

The Swans will bid to bounce back from their loss to the Giants when they take on the Gold Coast Suns in Lismore on Sunday.

A specialist has confirmed that Jack Maibaum’s season is over due to a ruptured ACL, while Heath Grundy (sore back) and Ollie Florent (foot sprain) will also miss the Suns clash.