Watson’s Giants mail which could impact Greene decision

Toby Greene is highly unlikely to remain with GWS, according to Tim Watson.

The Giants captain is wrestling with a decision on his future, with a shift back to Victoria to join Geelong potentially on the cards.

Watson has done some digging on the situation and found out that there is significant change coming at the Giants which might have a major impact on Greene’s call.

“I went down the Toby Greene rabbit hole yesterday (Tuesday), and I was trying to work out what I would do and what I think he might do,” Watson began on SEN Breakfast.

“This is where I ended up having spoken to a number of people and then pieced it all together - I think he's going. I don't see a world in which Toby Greene stays at the Giants.

“Now these are all the reasons why. He's been very loyal to that football club, he's established great relationships with people over a long period of time, and he's going to leave an almighty hole when he leaves that football club.

“This is what he's missed out on - he's a big game player, he's as big a big game player as we've ever seen. Now he hasn't really experienced one of the great things about the game and that is the atmosphere in playing big, meaningful games in AFL football week in, week out.

“They get an average crowd of around 11,000 people to the games up there. He hasn't experienced one of the best parts of the game. Given what we now know about where they're at and what they're doing, there's no chance that he will ever play in a premiership with the GWS Giants if he stays because of the reset that they're currently conducting.”

Watson put forward some information relating to the Giants which prevents them from fully flourishing as a club.

He also received some significant mail regarding footy boss Jason McCartney and a potential romantic return to North Melbourne where he finished as a player under emotional circumstances back in 2003.

“This is what I learnt yesterday that they've got a very low football department spend. They've got trouble attracting coaches to the GWS. This is well known, they overpay players because they have to to keep them which means that they don't necessarily then have the money to pay their mid-tier players, so a lot of those mid-tier players disappear,” Watson continued.

“They start their season on the road, that first period of every season, because of the (Sydney Royal Easter) Show. They have games that get sold elsewhere so therefore they don't end up being able to establish any momentum in the early part of the season.

“And then if you look at the forward line from last year, Jesse Hogan's going to be gone, Jake Stringer’s going to be gone, Jake Riccardi might be traded as well. Daniels, who is a very good player, they can't get him right because of injury. He constantly falls apart as well so he's really struggling.

“He’s got two great mates there, Harry Himmelberg and Lachie Whitfield. We learnt yesterday that they're on the trade table as well. And in more recent times the CEO (Dave Matthews) has left the club and my mail is that Jason McCartney will also be looking at going somewhere else. He probably will end up at North Melbourne in a role there as part of what they're doing there and the reset that they're conducting too.

“So if you look at all those reasons, if you put all those reasons together, why would Toby stay? Apart from the loyalty part - and there's a very strong emotional attachment to that football club - he would already be gone.

“On the other side of the equation, you've got Geelong who have been one of the most stable, best-credentialed sides in the competition.

“But I just don't see a world in which he stays there and continues on with the Giants. And I think there's bigger questions about the Giants and where they're at as well.”

Greene says he is still yet to make a decision on his future despite recent suggestions that he could remain at GWS.

“I haven't made the decision,” he said on the Ausmerican Aces podcast.

“That was out of nowhere. It was pulled out of the hat. I don't know myself.”

Greene added: “I’d like to make (the decision) in the next week. There's no timeline. The Giants haven't said give me a day and they've been really open about it.

“I’d like to get it done soon.”