From the outside looking in, many would rate Toby Greene’s 2023 season as a complete success.
The 30-year-old, in his first season as sole GWS captain, led the club to an unexpected Preliminary Final berth while kicking a career-high 66 goals.
Greene was also named All-Australian captain in making the team for a third time and won his second Kevin Sheedy Medal as the Giants’ best and fairest.
But despite all of Greene’s accolades, he admits there was an element of his game he wasn’t entirely happy with last season.
It is something he plans to reinvigorate over the off-season and bring back as a “weapon” in 2024.
“My one on one stuff went a bit backwards in the second half of last year,” Greene said on SEN Breakfast.
“That’s something I’ve been trying to work on in training and trying to bring back as one of my weapons.
“At this time of year it’s about getting as fit as I can be so I’m set up for a good six or seven months. Make sure my repeat efforts are good and my base is really good. All my craft stuff that I work on throughout the year, that will come.
“They’re my main focuses at the moment.”
Greene noticed the physical side of his game had dropped off after he copped a knock to the chest in the middle of the season.
In 2024, he plans to re-establish that contested element deep in attack so as to place more pressure on his direct opponent.
“I hurt my sternum about halfway through the year and I didn’t touch any upper body weights - not that I do enjoy them anyway - for the second half of the year,” Greene said.
“I just became really weak in the contest and I guess I was not really calling one on one balls and hoping more for a front and centre crumb.
“I want to try and bring that (one on one game) back, especially against opponents that are my size.”
Greene and the Giants are busy going about their pre-season as they prepare for their AFL Community Series match against the Suns on February 29.
They then kick off their 2024 season proper against reigning premiers Collingwood at Giants Stadium in Opening Round on March 9.
