Toby Greene’s emotional apology to GWS Giants teammates

GWS Giants forward Toby Greene has apologised to his teammates after his careless act derailed the side’s finals series.

LAUNCESTON, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 28: Toby Greene of the Giants looks on during the 2021 AFL Second Elimination Final match between the Sydney Swans and the GWS Giants at University of Tasmania Stadium on August 28, 2021 in Launceston, Australia. (Photo by Grant Viney/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

GWS Giants coach Leon Cameron has detailed Toby Greene’s emotional apology to the playing group ahead of Friday evening’s semi-final against the Geelong Cats in Perth.

The Giants forward dominated headlines after TV replays showed he had bumped into umpire Matt Stevic, during his side’s victory over the Sydney Swans in last weekend’s elimination final.

Following a dramatic, marathon tribunal hearing on Tuesday, the jury of Shane Wakelin, Stephen Jurica and Richard Loveridge found Greene guilty of making intentional contact with an umpire.

The 27-year-old was handed a three-match ban, prematurely ending his season.

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On Wednesday, the AFL announced it would appeal the tribunal’s decision to suspend Greene for three matches in a statement that termed the penalty “manifestly inadequate”.

“I find it hard, personally, to reconcile how it can be intentional conduct that was aggressive, demonstrative and disrespectful – it was found to be all of those things – and then only be three weeks,” AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan told reporters.

“As the CEO of the League, I’m saying to community leagues and others that I find the decision perplexing.

“I’ve spoken to the lawyers about our appeal rights clearly. They’re looking at that at the moment.

“We won’t muck around. You don’t appeal lightly, so we’ll get some advice, contextualise it all, and make a decision as quick as we can.”

The moment before Toby Greene bumped into umpire Matt Stevic. Picture: Fox Sports

On Friday, an undermanned Giants outfit suffered a 35-point loss to Geelong, who progressed through to preliminary finals.

Following the defeat, Cameron told reporters that a “remorseful” Greene had apologised to his teammates ahead of the game.

“It was an emotional 10 to 15 minutes in front of our entire group,” Cameron said.

“We’re not a club that will shy away from things. We have to work out the rights and the wrongs and we got it wrong last weekend and he’s put his hand up.

“Throughout the week, I said you don’t give up on these players. They are like your children.

“Sometimes your kids do some things wrong in life. They have to learn from it and move on.

“He has been a wonderful player for us and I am confident we’ll work through some of those challenges over the off-season.”

Toby Greene of the Giants. Photo by Grant Viney/AFL Photos via Getty Images

On Thursday, Cameron admitted the club was “disappointed” with Greene, but said they would wait until the off-season to take any further action.

“It’s disappointing. We all know what’s happened. We’re disappointed in Toby putting himself in those positions and the consequences, which we’ve already seen,” he said.

“Toby is a much-loved player of our footy club. He’s done the wrong thing, we all know he’s done the wrong thing. He’s put his hand up.

“We’ll deal with that when our season finishes and hopefully we’ve got another three weeks to play out in that. But we’ll talk about that in the off-season.

“In terms of addressing issues, I think this is a different one, compared to the footy stuff.

“We’ll deal with that when our season finishes.”

Since making his AFL debut in 2012, Greene has been charged 22 times by match reviewers for striking, serious misconduct and reckless contact, among other offences.

– with Jasper Bruce, NCA NewsWire

Originally published as Toby Greene’s emotional apology to GWS Giants teammates