Toby Greene’s eventful first quarter against the Sydney Swans may lead to a short suspension. Notably controversial was Greene’s elbowing of Isaac Heeney, which occurred while Heeney was on the ground after being penalised for holding the ball. This act led to a decision reversal, allowing Sydney to score a goal shortly after.
In addition to the incident with Heeney, Greene was also involved in another off-the-ball confrontation, striking Aaron Francis, which resulted in a behind kicked by James Jordon. Tensions continued to rise in the match, especially as Greene exchanged barbs with Tom Papley, with the Swans comfortably leading by 28 points at the half-time break. Greene’s cheeky remark about Papley suggested he was struggling physically, questioning his fitness as the match progressed.
The match had a rocky start, as Swans forward Hayden McLean was knocked unconscious in an early contest and required medical attention. At the end of the first quarter, Sydney was ahead with a score of 3.4 (22) to GWS Giants’ 1.2 (8), and this lead only increased by the end of the second quarter, bolstered by Will Hayward’s three goals. Errol Gulden also stood out with an impressive 18 disposals, continuing to dominate the play for Sydney.