Has there been a better first 267 games?
Inspirational GIANTS skipper Toby Greene will add to his incredible legacy on Sunday when he breaks the club’s all-time games record with his 268th appearance in orange and charcoal.
It made us think, has there been a better first 267 games?
To celebrate the special milestone we’ve gone through the archives to compile the top 10 performances of Greene’s brilliant career to date ahead of Sunday’s record-breaking game.
10. Round 21, 2012 v Demons at Corroboree Group Manuka Oval
Coming in at number 10 is a starring performance in the club’s inaugural season as the fresh-faced 18-year-old put the footy world on notice with a starring display.
The talented teenager dominated as a midfielder against the Demons in Canberra where he finished with 38 touches, nine clearances, seven marks, seven inside 50s, four tackles and two goals.
Playing in just the 17th game of his career, Greene had 10 more touches than anyone else on the ground in an eye-catching performance from the rising star.
Despite losing the clash by 25 points, Greene was awarded three Brownlow votes and received nine coaches votes for his starring outing.
9. Round 20, 2019 v Swans at ENGIE Stadium
A dominant all-round performance against the arch enemy in 2019 comes in at number nine, with Greene collecting 34 touches, 10 clearances, eight marks, seven inside 50s, six tackles, and a goal in an epic two-point Derby win.
Always one to rise his levels against the Swans, Greene received two Brownlow votes for his brilliance, with teammate Jacob Hopper receiving the three votes.
8. Round 8, 2020 v Tigers at ENGIE Stadium
Coming in at number eight is a typical Toby Greene performance in which the dynamic superstar finished with 18 touches, eight marks, and five goals in a best-on-ground display in a win over Richmond at ENGIE Stadium in 2020.
Greene continued to provide a spark for his side with timely goals and his typical brilliance to help steer the GIANTS to a gutsy 12-point victory over the Tigers.
Greene was awarded three Brownlow votes and all 10 coaches votes for his display.
7. Round 2, 2017 v Suns at ENGIE Stadium
Toby always seems to rise to special occasions and this was definitely the case in 2017 when the then 23-year-old celebrated his 100th AFL game with a match-winning performance over the Gold Coast Suns at ENGIE Stadium.
The mercurial forward finished with 22 touches, 5.2, six marks and four inside 50s to lead his side to a massive 102-point win over the Suns.
The skipper’s performance – which earned him the three Brownlow votes and seven coaches votes – helped the GIANTS post their highest ever score at the time (160) and also their biggest ever winning margin at the time.
6. Round 22, 2014 v Magpies at ENGIE Stadium
Showing his rare ability to dominate both up forward and in the middle, Greene’s brilliant performance as a midfielder against the Pies back in his third season comes in at number six on the list of his top 10 games to date.
Still just 20 at the time, Greene played beyond his years to continue his rise as one of the game’s best young players, finishing with a career-high 42 disposals to go along with seven marks, five clearances, five tackles, six inside 50s and a goal.
Despite falling short to the Pies by eight points, Greene was awarded two Brownlow votes for his starring performance.
5. Round 20, 2023 v Western Bulldogs at Mars Stadium
A Toby Greene masterclass comes in at number five on the list, with Greene inspiring his side to an almighty comeback win against the Bulldogs in Ballarat.
Down by 35 points early in the third quarter, Greene kicked four third-quarter goals and the go-ahead goal in the final term to steer his side to a miraculous five-point win.
Greene finished the incredible performance with 19 touches, 5.2 and six inside 50s in a match-winning performance which saw him receive the three Brownlow votes and all 10 coaches votes.
Greene’s heroics saw the GIANTS secure their seventh straight win for the first time in club history.
4. Round 7, 2023 v Swans at the SCG
Coming it at number four came back in 2023, in one of the matches of the season, as the inspirational skipper put a dagger through the heart of the arch enemy with a match-winning goal in an epic with the Swans at the SCG.
Down by 24 points early in the last term, Greene kicked the first goal of the final term to inspire his side before kicking a brilliant right-foot snap in congestion with just 42 seconds left to give the GIANTS a thrilling one-point Sydney Derby win.
Greene finished the game with 22 disposals, four goals and six inside 50s and was awarded the Brett Kirk Medal [now the Ward-Kirk Medal] as best-on-ground.
He also received all three Brownlow votes and all 10 coaches votes for his brilliance.
3. Round 5, 2016 v Saints at Marvel Stadium
Sitting on the podium as his third best performance was a brilliant all-round game against the Saints under the roof of Marvel Stadium in 2016.
Showing once again his rare talent of being able to dominate up forward and as a midfielder, Greene did as he pleased against the Saints to finish with an incredible stat line of 31 disposals, nine marks, 10 inside 50s and 4.3 to help lead the GIANTS to a 47-point win over the Saints.
Still just 22 years old at the time, Greene’s performance further cemented the youngster as one of the competition’s best and most exciting players.
Greene received all three Brownlow votes and all 10 coaches votes for his efforts.
2. Elimination Final, 2018 v Swans at the SCG
Toby has shown an ability to shine brightest when the lights are at their brightest and this was certainly the case at number two on the list with a brilliant match-winning performance over the cross-town rivals in 2018.
Meeting in an elimination final at the SCG, Greene led his side to a dominant 49-point win to end the Swans’ season in ruthless fashion on their own home deck.
Returning from a hamstring injury which forced him to miss the final three weeks of the home and away season, Greene wasted no time in showing what a superstar he is, finishing the cut-throat final with 27 disposals, nine marks, eight inside 50s, and 3.3 in a dominant performance.
Always one to rise to the occasion, the performance added to a long list of starring performances on the big stage as Greene helped the GIANTS advance to a semi-final while ending the Swans’ 2018 campaign.
Greene received nine out of the possible 10 coaches votes for his brilliance.
1. Round 14, 2022 v Western Bulldogs at ENGIE Stadium
Coming in as the number one ranked performance across his outstanding 267 games to date remarkably came in a loss despite a career-best night from the GIANTS superstar.
While falling to the Dogs by 20 points at ENGIE Stadium, Greene produced one of the performances of the season with an incredible seven-goal haul back in 2022.
Registering a new career-high, Greene kicked three in a brilliant opening term, added one more in the second and then one more in the third, before kicking two more in the final term in a brilliant captain’s performance.
Becoming just the second GIANT at the time to ever kick seven goals in a game behind Jeremey Cameron, Greene finished the gutsy performance with 21 disposals, six marks, eight inside 50s, and 7.2 in a career-best display.
Highlighting his performances, Greene was awarded the three Brownlow votes, and all 10 coaches votes despite the 20-point loss.
Greene will look to add to his remarkable career performances and celebrate history as the most capped GIANT ever when the GIANTS clash with the Roos at Corroboree Group Oval, Manuka on Sunday at 4:40pm.
