Greene shrugs off AFL form concern ahead of Lions final

Joanna Guelas |

Toby Greene says his quiet game against Sydney doesn’t worry him as GWS prepare to face the Lions.
Toby Greene says his quiet game against Sydney doesn’t worry him as GWS prepare to face the Lions.

Toby Greene feels no pressure to be the constant match-winner for GWS as they prepare for an AFL semi-final against the Brisbane Lions.

The Giants skipper didn’t have his usual influence during their qualifying final loss to Sydney as their rivals produced a fourth-quarter blitz to steal the game.

Greene, well known for breaking opposition hearts with his creative talents in front of goal, only kicked two behinds in the first term as he battled with Swans defender Dane Rampe.

Awarded the 2023 All-Australian captaincy for his moments of brilliance, Greene shrugged off concern he wasn’t able to deliver last weekend at the SCG.

Toby Greene.
Toby Greene has a shot at goal on a disappointing afternoon for the GWS skipper against the Swans. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

And there won’t be any expectation for Greene to be the spark against the Lions this Saturday.

“I’m not expected to do anything special. I’m just playing my role,” Greene said on Tuesday.

“I don’t really feel any extra pressure, to be honest.

“I want to perform as well as I can, be the best leader I can be as well.

“That’s my goal for the next three weeks.

“I know what’s required and I know what I’ll do.

“There’s 18 other blokes that know what they’re doing as well.”

But he does admit disappointment with failing to bury his shots at goal against Sydney.

“I was super flat missing those goals, especially when we could have gone up by a bit,” Greene said.

“We probably missed a couple of easy set shots as well but that’s footy, and that’s why you practice it every week.

“I’ll hold myself on it and put in time and effort into getting better.

“It’s never something I take for granted, getting shots on goal. I want to make the most of them, and hopefully can.”

Toby Bedford.
Toby Bedford and the Giants at training ahead of their semi-final with Brisbane. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

Expecting a hard-fought contest after Brisbane held Carlton scoreless in the opening quarter of their elimination final, Greene says his team will be taking some confidence from their come-from-behind round-22 win against the Lions.

Adam Kingsley’s men overturned a 30-point quarter-time deficit to surge home in a six-goals-to-one final term and snap Brisbane’s nine-goal run.

“We know what worked. They were going really good at the time … so we’ll take a little bit from it,” Greene said.

“They were impressive (in their elimination final). They gave Carlton a good lesson.

“It was pretty much game over at halftime, so hard to read into the second half, I reckon.

“They’re a good team and they’ve got plenty of finals experience and plenty of experience in their team so we know what’s coming.”

AAP