GIANT LEAP OF FAITH IN TOBY
STAR forward Toby Greene has been appointed sole captain of the GWS Giants in 2023, after the side demoted two of its co-captains from last season.
The two-time AllAustralian shared captaincy duties with Josh Kelly and former stand-alone skipper Stephen Coniglio last season but will take the reins by himself in 2023.
“It’s a huge honour,” Greene said. “I’ve come a long way and it took a long time, but I’ve done a lot of work on my leadership skills.
“As a young kid I was probably nowhere near it and was trying to find my way in AFL footy but I’m in my 12th season now and I’ve been here since the start.”
Greene, 29, said he would lean heavily on his former cocaptains Kelly and Coniglio.
“We’ve got a super strong relationship … we have a really strong bond and I’ll be relying heavily on those two throughout the year,” Greene said. “I’m looking forward to getting to work with them, alongside the four new players who have been named in the leadership group as well.
“It’s an exciting mix with the four new guys and the three of us who have been here for a while.”
The trio will be joined in the leadership group by firsttime members Tom Green, Harry Perryman, Sam Taylor and Connor Idun.
Inaugural co-captains Phil Davis and Callan Ward will oversee an emerging leaders’ group featuring Brent Daniels, Harry Himmelberg, Lachie Ash and Isaac Cumming.
GWS football boss Jason McCartney said the club was thrilled to name Greene as its stand-alone leader.
“Toby is not only one of the most dynamic players in the AFL competition, he’s also an outstanding leader who gets the most out of his teammates,” McCartney said.