ADELAIDE fans risk playing into the hands of Toby Greene if they boo the fiery forward in Thursday night's finals opener.
Adelaide Oval is renowned for the hostile reception afforded to visiting teams, and the end of the regular season means the noise will be even louder when the Crows host Greater Western Sydney.
If recent weeks are anything to go by, Greene can expect to cop the brunt of the locals' derision and vitriol.
Greene, charged five times by the match review panel this year, was booed whenever he touched the ball during recent games in Geelong and Melbourne.
Mega-preview: First qualifying final, Adelaide v GWS
"Toby thrives off that type of stuff," GWS star Tom Scully said.
"I don't think it really affects him (negatively) at all and I admire that about him.
"His ability to cope under adversity over the last couple of weeks has been pretty impressive.
"I'd expect more of the same in finals.
"It is probably going to be pretty hostile over there."
Scully is well schooled in scrutiny.
The hard-running midfielder was taken with pick No.1 in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft and then condemned by success-starved Melbourne fans for signing a lucrative contract with GWS in 2011.
Pundits whacked the 'million-dollar tagger' in the Giants' early existence but he is now one of the first picked in Leon Cameron's team, having also been included in the preliminary All Australian squads of 2016 and 2017.
Scully suggested there was no need to discuss how to handle off-field heat with Greene.
"He's a prime example of someone who has that much belief in his own ability," he said.
"I tried to surround myself with positive people and stick to what I know.
"There were times when it was probably a bit hard to ignore but ... it's up to you how much you read or buy into all that type of stuff."
Young defender Adam Tomlinson knows what makes Greene tick as well as anyone at the club.
Tomlinson lived with Greene after the Victorian shifted to Sydney, having been among the Giants' glut of first-round draft selections in 2011.
"If you want to boo him, you can, but I'm sure he will come out and kick a few goals," Tomlinson said.
"He's not one you want to poke and prod ... it spurs him on even more.
"Look at that Western Bulldogs game. He was able to come out a few seconds after (the incident involving Luke Dahlhaus) and take a massive hanger."
Coach Leon Cameron, co-captains Phil Davis and Callan Ward and ruckman Shane Mumford have all staunchly defended Greene in recent weeks.
