He's tough as nails, maybe a bit slow from memory?
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Hey, if we can play Ryan Gardner for one game to prove a point to Schache, why not this Robertson guy specifically to rough up Greene?
Suspect we already have one in Jordon Sweet if we really want to wipe some smirks off a few faces.
What we truly need is to be more ferocious and more focused - to a man - the next time we play them, and more generally if we want to succeed in finals. The bastards embarrassed us, but hopefully sufficiently so that it gnaws away at everyone involved all off-season. If that's the case I don't expect we'd permit it again, least of all against that mob.
I’d be interested in hearing more about Wallace’s thoughts?
The process stunk. In the same footage of the Greene incident, Another guy (Himmelberg) comes at him from the other angle.
The plea of guilty, the insincere garbage apology about ‘going too far in my remonstration’ (does anyone think that wasn’t written by a gws goon?)...this all unfolded behind closed doors. The hearing was a rubber stamp, never about getting to the heart of the truth, not that I’d like Bont to face the equally unpleasant choices of telling the truth or dealing in vague platitudes.
You've basically nailed it in bold.
He remarks on SEN here from about the 22 minute mark, raising questions about what he felt were "unusual" machinations leading up to the hearing including the league going public ahead of time that a suspension was not on its agenda, Greene suddenly bee-lining it to Melbourne to "defend himself" and the lack of examination of Greene's actions full stop during the hearing which was strangely brief, almost as if the outcome was preordained.
In Plough's words, to be so bold as to suggest this was all orchestrated by a series of phone calls from league HQ would be far from outrageous.
As I said initially, interesting to say the least ...
Mark Stevens also said on RSN this morning interestingly the case started half an hour late and alluded to a deal being struck.
Michael Christensen, AFL tribunal judge, judge each incident as if a court of law. If its assault in the real world, its assault on an AFL oval. The retribution in AFL must weeks not fines for assault, as fines mean little to richly paid players.
I've got a lot of respect for Jack Gleeson and I feel for him in this incident.
He was in a position hwere he had to walk in to the tribunal, with a straight face, and carry out his instructions. He is, after all the AFL's Counsel in tribunal matters.
If I were Michael Christian I'd walk away. Immediately. Every time he identifies an incident worthy of close scrutiny, it is completely glossed over by the AFL and a cushy deal made to protect the brand.
I wonder if the Tip Rat actually used the word "remonstrate" in the hearing and if anyone had pulled him up about the meaning of the word?
Describing what he did as "remonstrating" is akin to calling turning someone's face to pulp as "a deep tissue massage".
I will be celebrating when the karma bus strikes.
Just sent this letter to the Age.
To the editor.
I would like to express my sense of outrage and disbelief regarding the Toby Greene MRO findings. It seems everyone inside the AFL machine has rubber stamped Greene only being fined, but out here in the real world people are feeling angry and let down by the decision.
I have kids who play footy. What the AFL is saying to every junior, suburban and country footballer out there, is this. “We don’t really like what Greene did, but if it’s going to win you an important match, it’s worth doing, because you won’t be suspended.
So go ahead, eye gouge, pull hair, slam people’s heads into the ground. It’s called ‘playing on the edge’ now".
This is Greene’s 17th charge in 143 games. That’s a charge every 8 and a half games.
He has an appalling track record of violent behaviour on and off the field, and yet the AFL basically let him get away with this disgusting attack on a helpless player.
Shame on the AFL.
This is what I sent to Gillon today:
I am writing to express my disgust and extreme disappointment with the result of the Match Review Tribunal finding against Toby Greene for his actions against Marcus Bontempelli in Saturday’s Elimination Final. I wish I could say I was surprised, but sadly, this result was much what I expected.
To witness Greene’s sustained, vicious attack on a defenceless player — hair-pulling, bashing his head into the ground, scratching and reaching his hands under his face with clear intent to hurt — was a sickening spectacle. Greene and his apologists claim that he seeks to play ‘on the edge’ but these actions have nothing to do with competitiveness or courage. It is sheer unnecessary violence, and if it occurred off the field, it would be considered criminal assault.
That the AFL can allow these actions to go effectively unpunished is breathtaking hypocrisy. You claim that the Commission supports respectful relationships and responsible behaviour, and yet Greene has been allowed to get away with gratuitous acts of violence (punching, kicking other players in the face etc) on multiple occasions, and is now clearly aware that he can behave like this with impunity.
This outcome will only encourage the cynical conclusion that the AFL Commission, despite pious words to the contrary, cares nothing for player welfare, setting standards for children and young people or 'Respect and Responsibility'; it seems that all you care about is on-field success for your pet project expansion team. This is why I was not surprised when Greene escaped with a slap on the wrist.
Please, think hard about the message this sends to players, AFL supporters and also to those parents wondering whether to encourage their kids to take up our game. Surely there are many parents in the western suburbs of Sydney who will be repulsed by this footage and by the limp official response it has elicited.
Great letter. Maybe worth sending the letter to Gill as well and pointing out how the NRL handle these charges.
Canberra forward Hudson Young cops eight games for gouge ban