GWS to lose star Toby Greene after Isaac Heeney head knock, set to miss Dogs clash

GWS will go into a finals-shaping clash against the Bulldogs on Thursday night without superstar Toby Greene, who was involved in a number of incidents against the Swans.

The Western Bulldogs have been handed a huge advantage in their must-win clash against the Giants with GWS accepting Toby Greene’s one-match ban for a strike on Isaac Heeney.

Greene’s chequered MRO record means he now has nearly 30 fines or suspensions despite his recent determination to avoid more time in the sidelines.

He will have missed 16 weeks through suspension after accepting this weekend’s ban.

The Giants will also be without Jack Buckley and Josh Kelly for the rest of the home-and-away season after both picked up calf concerns in the win over Sydney.

Greene will miss Thursday’s blockbuster against the Dogs. Picture: Brett Costello

A Dogs loss to the Giants on Thursday night would make it extremely hard to make finals - they would need multiple results to go their way in the run home.

Greene dropped his elbow into the head of Isaac Heeney in the first half against the Swans.

While the force was not significant MRO boss Michael Christian can consider multiple factors when assessing the force category.

He can look at the victim’s reaction, the visual look of the hit and any medical report.

The Giants would have had to concede that the hit was intentional and to the head but was of negligible force.

So they decided to move on and give him a week’s rest instead of the distraction of spending two days on a tribunal case they were unlikely to overturn.

GIANTS STAR BANNED AFTER FIERY SYDNEY DERBY

- Jay Clark

Giants superstar Toby Greene has received a one-match suspension for the forearm to Isaac Heeney’s head in the fiery Sydney derby on Friday night.

He will miss one of the Giants’ biggest games of the year on Thursday night against its other rival, Western Bulldogs, for the blow on Heeney in the first term.

The clash against the Dogs will have massive top-eight ramifications for both clubs with the fifth-placed Giants (52 points) and the eight-placed Dogs (44 points) both locked in the same tussle for a finals berth.

Toby Greene's high whack on Isaac Heeney

His absence will be a major blow as Greene is one of the best forwards in the AFL and was instrumental in the second half of the thrilling GWS comeback win over the Swans at Engie Stadium.

But Greene’s unnecessary hit on Heeney was graded intentional conduct, high contact and low impact under the AFL’s match review guidelines due to the league’s strong stance on brain injuries.

The incident comes after a week of intense debate over the three-match Steven May penalty which has been appealed by Melbourne.

But the MRO determined the Greene hit warranted a one-match ban even though Heeney was uninjured and continued to play on Friday night.

Importantly, Heeney was in a defenceless position on the ground and was completely vulnerable when Greene came in with his left arm to the side of Heeney’s head.

Greene appeared frustrated after only moments earlier being shrugged off by Heeney.

The pair have shared an intense rivalry in Sydney as two of the faces of their clubs.

Greene also has one of the longest rap sheets in the game but he has been on his best behaviour this season.

The Dogs are at risk of losing touch with the eight if they lose to GWS on Thursday night as Gold Coast have jumped ahead after they upset Brisbane on Saturday.

The Giants could also lose Jack Buckley and Josh Kelly to calf injuries.

Originally published as GWS to lose star Toby Greene after Isaac Heeney head knock, set to miss Dogs clash