Sniper shoots himself in foot
TOBY Greene has become the AFL’s sniper-in-chief.
His crazy, irresponsible punch on Alex Rance’s chin yesterday symbolised everything bad about a Giants side that has gone into freefall.
For 20 minutes yesterday in cold but perfect conditions, the Giants freewheeled across the MCG, looking like the milliondollar babies they are.
Then came Greene’s punch, which might have well been a rain dance for the Tigers.
The man already involved in five incidents this year tried to play the tough guy after Rance’s angry reaction to a Steve Johnson bump.
He punched Rance in a crazy act that will see him miss two matches, had the shot at goal reversed, and minutes later the rain tumbled down.
To suggest the Giants simply turned up their toes does disrespect to players such as Callan Ward, Phil Davis and Zac Williams, who never stopped trying.
But while Greene went missing after that incident 20 minutes into the first term, the Tigers used the tumbling rain as a sign to get down and dirty.
After failing to score in the first term, Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin went to work. After seven first-term possessions between them, they poured on 22 secondterm touches in a master class.
The Giants haven’t won in Melbourne this year, are 1-10 at the MCG over their history.
Their best is probably better than any other team in the competition, yet their worst is glaringly bad.
As the frustration built Jon Patton verbally sprayed seventh-gamer Harry Perryman for an errant kick.
Tigers coach Damien Hardwick will be thrilled his side could respond after such an insipid start, the tackling pressure thereafter exceptional.
But as always there were heroics, and they came from the leaders in Martin, Cotchin and defensive stalwart Rance.
Martin’s second quarter was immense.
He ripped the ball from centre bounces, marked oneon-one to goal from point blank and set up goals by the handful.
To win the Brownlow this year you might need 30-plus votes given his season, with the only danger Cotchin stealing votes along the way. Cotchin just kept lifting, while Nick Vlaustin was made for this type of day.