GWS Giants captain Toby Greene has been crowned the 2023 All-Australian captain, a feat not even the villain-turned-hero thought would “ever happen” in his previously-tainted career.
Greene, whose career has been full of on-field controversy, including a six-week suspension for contacting an umpire two years ago to the day he was named the league’s captain, has managed to turn himself around.
“Stuff off field wasn’t up to scratch and needed to come a long way which it probably has over the last five or six years,” Greene said at the AFL Awards on Wednesday night.
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“(It’s) something I didn’t think would ever happen in my career.
“It’s an amazing achievement and I won’t ever forget it.”
Greene reflected post-ceremony on some tumultuous moments earlier in his career, taking responsibility for his actions, including a suspension from their 2019 preliminary final against the Bulldogs.
“I think I brought a lot of that stuff on myself, it was all warranted. But I’ve definitely felt the love since, especially over the last couple of months,” Greene told AFL 360 on Wednesday night.
“It’s just an amazing position to be in.”
The honour comes as a newly-matured Greene apologised to Carlton’s Jacob Weitering, who he threw under the bus with post-match comments following an alleged eye-gouge in their round 24 clash.
Weitering escaped with only a fine, meaning he can still take part in Carlton’s elimination final against the Swans.
But Greene condemned his words on Thursday, saying he “stuffed up” post the Giants’ 32-point win over the Blues.
“I actually felt bad for Jacob after the game because I thought when Sarah (Jones) asked about my eye that that’s what he did,” Greene said on SEN’s Whateley on Thursday.
“I stitched him up a bit mate so I’d like to apologise to Jacob and I’m glad he’s playing finals footy.”
Greene copped an eye cut from a different incident during the game, but on the night believed it had come from Weitering.
“I sort of stuffed that up after the game. I was under the impression that the cut on my eye was from him and it wasn’t,” Greene said.
“I didn’t realise until like half an hour after the game when someone said ‘you know that cut is on the other eye?’ and I said ‘okay, I’ve got that wrong’.
“I feel a bit bad for him because I almost stitched him up – so, sorry Jacob.”
As for other achievements, Port Adelaide’s Zak Butters was awarded his first personal accolades, with the 22-year-old collecting the Coaches’ Association champion-player and the AFLCA’s Most Courageous player, while Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli was crowned the AFL Players’ Association’s Player of the Year.
Adelaide veteran Taylor “Tex” Walker was handed his first All-Australian blazer in his 16-year career, after booting a mammoth career-best 76 goals in 2023.
The Power is now the only side in the league to not have an All-Australian captain. Meantime, 15 of 18 clubs are represented in the team this season.
Greene will now lead his Giants to an elimination final against St Kilda at the MCG on Saturday 9 September.