Toby Greene is “different” than any other AFL player, says Port Adelaide champion Kane Cornes, who says the Giants star deserves an apology for the way he was officiated during his team’s clash with the Magpies.
Greene played a significant role in the Giants’ thrilling two-point victory over Collingwood on Friday night, scoring three goals from 19 departures.
But Cornes said the 26-year-old had been involved in several delicate decisions, either paying a free kick against him or not being awarded. He ended the game without a free kick in his name while giving away three.
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Of Greene’s three games this season, he has given six free kicks and himself has been awarded zero.
I’m talking about AFL Media The round so farCornes said Greene needed “almost an excuse” for the way he was a referee during the game.
“Unlike other players in the game, he gets re-pirated not only because of the free kicks he doesn’t get … but also because of the free kicks he gives away,” Cornes told AFL Media. “It’s almost as if the referees have a fixed agenda against him when they get into the game Toby Greene is playing on.
“It is not good enough.
“You have to deal with the decisions you paid, those that weren’t there and those that he didn’t, and say, ‘Look, that was our mistake. Toby has a good reputation, we have to re-pirate him pretty much the same way we pirate everyone else. ‘”
Greene was a central figure in history in which the Giants reached the grand finale last year. He was banned from playing for contacting Lion Lachie Neale’s eye area – a ban that was also confirmed by the tribunal and confused several AFL greats.
When asked whether Greene’s actions during the 2019 finals series still put a strain on the heads of the referees and their subsequent decision-making, Cornes said, “It shouldn’t be. I say his reputation – whether or not last year when we saw a witch hunt against him to ban him from the final, the lock in this game in Brisbane was not fair, it was an absolute joke – The referees are referee Toby Greene unlike everyone else. And that’s not fair.
“You have to acknowledge it and apologize for the way he was a referee on Friday night.”
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