GWS star Toby Greene has terrorised Adelaide with a four-goal haul to inspire the Giants to an upset 59-point AFL win.
Greene also had a hand in two other goals in the Giants’ boilover 17.11 (113) to 8.6 (54) victory on Saturday at Adelaide Oval.
In just his second match after serving a six-game ban for making contact with an umpire, Greene ensured the Giants belied the form guide to chalk a second win of the season.
Greene starred with an attacking support cast featuring his co-captain Stephen Coniglio, Jesse Hogan and Lachie Whitfield, who each booted three goals.
The GWS midfield, headlined by the brilliant Josh Kelly (41 disposals, seven inside 50s), Tom Green (24 touches), Isaac Cumming (33 possessions) and Tim Taranto (23 disposals, one goal), dominated the lacklustre Crows.
Adelaide’s Rory Laird (35 possessions) and Ben Keays (27 touches) battled against the tide while Taylor Walker kicked two majors.
But the Crows’ woes were compounded by acting captain Brodie Smith being knocked out — after taking a spectacular mark, his head forcefully hit the ground on landing — while Ned McHenry also didn’t return after a third-term head knock.
GWS trump card Greene kicked the first goal of the game after taking a chest mark on the back of Adelaide’s Jordan Butts, triggering an opening assault from the visitors.
The Giants booted 5.4 to Adelaide’s 1.1 for the quarter as Greene kicked two majors, missed another, and had a hand in a chain of play that led to a Whitfield goal.
The dynamo slotted another two goals in the second quarter, crumbing a pack for a left-foot snap and, two minutes later, converting with a right-foot snap.
Greene’s efforts with both feet came amid another scoring deluge for the Giants who added six goals to one for a whopping 59-point half-time lead, 11.8 to 2.3.
In the third term, Coniglio, as he did in the second quarter, opened the goal scoring.
Soon after, Greene offered a handball to teammate Taranto for another goal and when Harry Himmelberg followed with yet another, the Giants amassed a 79-point lead.
Adelaide trailed by 72 points at three quarter-time and belatedly outscored GWS in the final term as they crashed to a fourth loss in seven games.
