Greene engaged in a marking duel with Carlton’s Jordan Boyd during Saturday’s match, leaping to make a mark and inadvertently making contact with Boyd’s head as they collided.
The AFL categorized Greene’s actions as careless conduct, medium impact, and high contact, prompting his club to contest the decision at the Tribunal on Tuesday.
Harry Cunningham has come from the ground after this collision with Peter Wright.#AFLSwansDons pic.twitter.com/e3OqI5FnJN
— 7AFL (@7AFL) March 23, 2024
Essendon supporters are likely to express discontent over the penalty imposed on Greene, especially given the similarity to an incident involving Peter Wright in Round 2. Wright, who is set to return from a four-week suspension for Thursday’s Anzac Day clash with Collingwood, was penalized for a similar collision with Sydney defender Harry Cunningham during a marking contest.
Wright’s case was escalated to the Tribunal due to the severity of Cunningham’s concussion and subsequent stretchered off the field, with the MRO grading the impact as “severe.” In contrast, Greene’s collision was deemed “medium impact” as Boyd continued playing after the incident.
Following the loss to Carlton, Giants coach Adam Kingsley dismissed the notion of any wrongdoing on Greene’s part, citing the legitimacy of his attempt to contest for the ball.
Toby Greene has been handed a one-match suspension following this incident with Jordan Boyd.
Full Saturday Match Review findings: https://t.co/9v0Idxiu0L pic.twitter.com/5OvkK6S6g6
— AFL (@AFL) April 21, 2024
Echoing Kingsley’s sentiments, Brad Scott raised concerns about the Tribunal’s handling of such incidents, emphasizing the need for players to be able to contest the ball without fear of repercussions. Scott criticized the current system, suggesting that penalties are determined based on outcomes rather than actions.
Scott also highlighted the challenge faced by coaches in instructing players on how to approach marking contests due to the lack of clarity provided by the AFL.
Joining Greene at the Tribunal on Tuesday are his teammate Jesse Hogan and West Coast defender Tom Barrass, further indicating the ongoing scrutiny surrounding incidents during AFL matches.
