GWS captain finally makes big call on his future
Oliver Caffrey |
Geelong-bound Toby Greene leaves GWS after being responsible for creating the character of the fledgling Giants, the club’s chief says.
Greene, an All Australian captain and the Giants’ best player across 15 seasons, is seeking a trade to the Cats.
The 32-year-old, who had been with the Giants since their foundation season in 2012, cited family reasons for returning to his native Victoria.
“He, along with (inaugural coach) Kevin Sheedy and others, gave us this resilience and character from day one,” GWS chief executive Dave Matthews told SEN radio on Thursday.
Greene, a triple All Australian and dual club champion, played 282 games for the Giants while also being the modern-era AFL’s most cited player at the tribunal, facing 32 charges.
“The toughness that he exhibited – and even a lot of the tribunal indiscretions were retribution or looking after his teammates – he’s just one of the most loyal people you would ever meet,” Matthews said.
“He has been loyal to a fault for 15 years and now he makes a decision for his family.”
Greene is set to reunite with his close mate and former Giants forward Jeremy Cameron at Geelong on a lucrative three-year deal.
But Matthews, who is departing his CEO role at season’s end, was unaware what compensation the Giants would receive under the AFL’s free agency model.
“I must admit, I don’t know how that works any more … (but) it’s a significant offer, and it should be too,” Matthews said.
Greene agonised over his decision, which will disappoint Giants fans, Matthews said.
“The fact the decision dragged out reflects how torn he has been and how much he feels a part of the Giants,” he said.
“He’s a legend of the club … it has been a really difficult one for him.”
But Greene’s decision didn’t surprise Giants hierarchy.
“You would have loved him to be a one-club player,” Matthews said.
“If somebody had said on draft night 2011 that Toby Greene is going to stay at the club 15 years and be an absolute star of the game … to achieve it at the Giants and have such an amazing career on-field and be so important off-field to the Giants is significant.
“This decision hasn’t come out of the blue for us. We pretty much were expecting this might be the case.”
Midfielder Tom Green is the frontrunner to replace Greene as GWS captain while Geelong, after exiting this year’s finals with a semi-final loss to Fremantle last weekend, will be a major player in the looming trade period.
The Cats are expected to sign ruckman Rowan Marshall, who has told St Kilda he wants a trade without yet specifying a preferred club.
Geelong missed out on the prized signature of Zak Butters, who has nominated the Western Bulldogs as his desired next club after leaving Port Adelaide.
The free agency period starts October 2, with the trade period from October 5-14.
AAP