IT WOULDN'T be a finals series without a Toby Greene controversy.
On Tuesday morning at 9am AEST, the supremely talented Greater Western Sydney superstar will front the AFL Tribunal after being found guilty of a Match Review charge for the 22nd time in 176 games.
His latest indiscretion, referred directly to the Tribunal for making intentional contact with an umpire during Saturday's elimination final win over Sydney, is the latest in a string of highly controversial moments that have punctuated Greene's career.
Already suspended for a total of eight matches, Greene has also been fined $29,350 across his 10-year stint in Giants colours. It appears almost certain that one of those figures will rise when his case is heard at the Tribunal this week.
But it is hardly ever cut-and-dry with Greene. Debate has raged over his intentions while heading to the three-quarter time huddle in Tasmania, just as it did during a large portion of his Match Review indiscretions.
Back in 2019, a pair of incidents saw Greene stray into grey areas when making contact with the head, face and eyes of Marcus Bontempelli and Lachie Neale in a matter of September weeks. It resulted in a $7500 fine and a suspension for a preliminary final.
There was also $5000 worth of fines being paid from Greene's pockets during the 2018 finals series, when he appeared to drop a knee into Isaac Heeney one week before being involved in a scuffle with Taylor Adams the next.
There was a kick to the face of Luke Dahlhaus in a marking contest in 2017, causing an entire rule change, a spitting incident involving Anthony Miles in 2015, and even a $1950 fine for making reckless contact with an umpire back in 2013.
Very few incidents involving Greene have been easy for the Match Review, or for the Tribunal, to decide upon. Figuring out a penalty for his unnecessary moment on Saturday will continue that trend.
TOBY'S TRACK RECORD
Total: 22 charges
Suspended: Six times for eight total matches
Total fines: $29,350
2012: Made ineligible for the NAB AFL Rising Star after he was suspended for one match for an ugly bump on Brisbane veteran Jed Adcock.
2012: Fined $1200 for his role in a melee during Greater Western Sydney's clash with Melbourne.
2013: Cops a $1950 fine for making reckless contact with an umpire in a game against Gold Coast.
2014: Walked away with a one-match suspension for striking Adelaide midfielder Richard Douglas, with the offence classified as a level-three sanction.
2014: Fined another $1200 for engaging in a melee, this time against the Western Bulldogs.
2015: Hit with a $1500 fine for spitting in the direction of Richmond midfielder Anthony Miles.
2015: Another $1500 fine for engaging in a melee, this time against Fremantle.
2016: Fined $1000 for misconduct, having pushed Port Adelaide youngster Brendon Ah Chee into a fence.
2017: Hit with a $1000 misconduct fine in pre-season, having given Sam Wright a slap to the face late in the game.
2017: Fined $1000 for striking Port Adelaide midfielder Dan Houston, with the charge graded as low impact to the head.
2017: Hit with a two-match striking suspension after clipping Western Bulldogs midfielder Caleb Daniel with an extremely late spoil attempt.
2017: Forced to serve another two-match suspension after striking Richmond defender Alex Rance to the jaw with a jumper-punch.
2017: Controversially offered a $1500 misconduct fine for his flying kick to the face of Western Bulldogs forward Luke Dahlhaus in a marking contest.
2018: Fined $2500 for misconduct, having appeared to drop his knee into Sydney midfielder Isaac Heeney during an elimination final.
2018: Fined another $2500 for misconduct the very next week during a semi-final against Collingwood, where he was involved in a back-and-forth with midfielder Taylor Adams.
2019: Slapped with a $2000 fine for striking, having handed Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver a 'tummy tap' in an off-the-ball incident.
2019: Handed a $7500 fine for serious misconduct, having appeared to make contact with the face and hair of Western Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli during a lengthy scuffle.
2019: Suspended for one match after making unnecessary or unreasonable contact to the eye region of Brisbane gun Lachie Neale, forcing him to miss a preliminary final.
2020: Fined $1000 for elbowing Fremantle's Reece Conca to the midriff in an incident that took place some way off the ball.
2021: Handed a $2000 fine for a 'tummy tap' to the midriff of Carlton defender Nic Newman, after striking him in an off-the-ball incident.
2021: Suspended for one game, halved from two, after elbowing Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield to the throat while attempting a fend-off to escape a tackle.
2021: Referred directly to the Tribunal for making intentional contact with umpire Matt Stevic during an elimination final win over the Swans. The penalty is unknown.
