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Toby Greene under scrutiny for high hit on Patrick Dangerfield

GWS Giants star Toby Greene will again come under close scrutiny after an errant hit forced Patrick Dangerfield out of the game.

Matthew Sullivan
2 min read
August 7, 2021 - 7:30AM
Giants star Toby Greene will come under scrutiny for this hit on Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
Giants star Toby Greene will come under scrutiny for this hit on Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

GWS Giants star Toby Greene is set to once again come under scrutiny from the AFL’s Match Review Officer for an errant elbow on Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield.

The incident occurred in the first quarter of the Friday night clash between GWS and Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.

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After collecting a ground ball, Greene raised his arm to defend himself as Dangerfield attempted to tackle him.

Greene’s elbow then made sharp contact with Dangerfield, who was awarded a free kick for a high fend-off but fell to the turf before coming to the bench.

Dangerfield was replaced at quarter time by Geelong’s medical substitute Quinton Narkle not long after the superstar midfielder went down to the change rooms.

The incident will undoubtedly be closely scrutinised by MRO Michael Christian.

Dangerfield’s substitution out of the game may influence Christian’s grading of the impact of the Greene hit.

Channel 7 sideline reporter Matthew Richardson confirmed Dangerfield’s larynx had been bruised in the incident and he would likely undergo scans to assess the damange.

“Unfortunately as soon as you lift that elbow, that will be looked at,” North Melbourne legend Wayne Carey told Channel 7.

“And because his name’s Toby Greene, it’ll be looked at twice as hard.”

Patrick Dangerfield was subbed out of the game after copping this hit from GWS’ Toby Greene. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
Patrick Dangerfield was subbed out of the game after copping this hit from GWS’ Toby Greene. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Earlier in the game, Geelong’s Jake Kolodjashnij finally broke his own career-long drought to kick his first AFL goal in his 126th game.

The defender broke the unwanted streak early in the first quarter of the Cats’ clash with the GWS Giants on Friday night.

Making the achievement even more remarkable was the fact Kolodjasnij kicked the goal inside the first 30 seconds of the match.

Receiving the ball outside the 50m arc, he ran forward and kicked a beautiful running goal to get the Cats on the board at GMHBA Stadium.

Kolodjashnij was immediately mobbed my his teammates, who were well aware it was the first six-pointer of his career.

“Hasn’t kicked a goal in the big time, he has now! What about that for a start!” Channel 7 commentator James Brayshaw exclaimed.

“He cannot believe it. Jake Kolodjashnij — 126 games without a goal — he kicks one tonight in the first 30 seconds.”

Jake Kolodjashnij was mobbed by his teammates after finally breaking his goalkicking drought. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
Jake Kolodjashnij was mobbed by his teammates after finally breaking his goalkicking drought. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Kolodjashnij’s incredible streak of 126 games without a goal was the longest drought among current AFL players.

The reliable defender debuted round 12 in 2015, meaning it took 2,235 days or just over six years to finally kick a goal at senior level.

Surprisingly, his goal was Geelong’s only major in the first quarter, as they struggled to get the game on their terms.

Despite GWS making eight changes to its line-up due to a lengthy injury list, they took it right up to the Cats early and led by 18 points at quarter time.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/geelongs-jake-kolodjashnij-kicks-first-career-afl-goal-in-126th-game/news-story/6f5106b5eeaa2f93e2c5302891b2e89d