GWS star Toby Greene will front an AFL tribunal hearing in Melbourne on Monday evening, when he fights to remain a part of the Giants’ premiership campaign after being charged with serious misconduct.
Based on the available evidence, the incident involving Western Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli was referred directly to the tribunal and Greene was not able to accept an early plea.
No details of the incident were given in match review officer (MRO) Michael Christian’s findings released on Sunday.
But vision has emerged of Greene grabbing at Bontempelli’s face and shoving his head to the ground as they wrestled on the turf in the first quarter of Saturday’s elimination final at Giants Stadium.
Greene has been found guilty of various offences on 16 occasions since he was the No.11 pick at the 2011 draft, paying out nearly $20,000 in fines and being banned for six matches in total.
GWS board member and former match review panel member Jimmy Bartel was adamant Greene should be fined rather than suspended.
“If it was a week (suspension), why didn’t they just give him a week?” Bartel said on Macquarie Sports Radio.
“It’s serious misconduct, so they think he’s done some stuff around his face, which is not a good look and I agree with that.
“But you can only imagine – you still have to put it into your table – a fine.
“It’ll be a serious fine because he’s got so many racked up but it’ll be a fine, surely.”
Losing Greene to suspension would be a major setback for GWS, after he starred in the 58-point win over the Dogs that set up a knockout semi-final against Brisbane on Saturday night at the Gabba.
It is unclear how severe a penalty Greene can expect if found guilty, but then-Carlton player Jed Lamb was hit with a one-game ban last year for making unnecessary contact with the eye region of St Kilda’s Jade Gresham.
Greene remonstrated strongly with Bontempelli after the Bulldogs ace gave away a free kick for an illegal tackle on Brett Deledio.
The incident is the latest in a string of heated exchanges in the increasingly fierce rivalry between the clubs.
Greene has been booed by Dogs fans since levelling a karate kick at then-Bulldog Luke Dahlhaus’ face and receiving a two-match ban in 2017 for striking Caleb Daniel.
“I’m not too fazed about it … it was probably warranted in the past with a couple of incidents,” Greene replied on Friday when asked about his heated reception from Dogs fans.
Bontempelli escaped without penalty for a high bump on Nick Haynes in round 22 this season that left the Giant with a fractured larynx.
“To use the tribunal’s own reasoning in recent weeks why Marcus Bontempelli got off, Bontempelli kept playing, he got up and took his kick and played the rest of the game,” Bartel said.
The Dogs’ superstar was physically targeted relentlessly by GWS throughout Saturday’s clash and was left bleeding from the mouth after a high hit by Harry Himmelberg.
The Giants forward can accept a $2000 fine for the first-quarter incident.