Toby Greene Says He'll Decide His AFL Future Within a Fortnight — and Facilities Won't Be the Deciding Factor

GWS captain Toby Greene says he expects to make a call on his AFL future within the next two weeks, with meetings lined up with Geelong and Essendon as the star forward weighs whether to finish his career in Victoria.

Speaking on the Ausmerican Aces podcast, Greene was blunt about what matters and what doesn't. "I couldn't give a f*** about the tour," he said when Geelong's facilities came up. He'd do weights at Anytime Fitness if he had to. The priority is family support, not the gym.

Greene, 32, is an unrestricted free agent — meaning he can move to any club without GWS receiving compensation — at the end of the 2026 season. He has played 282 games for the Giants, including the club's first AFL match back in 2012. He conceded he will return to Victoria with his family eventually, though he told the Herald Sun in May that it might only be after his playing days (Herald Sun). Now the question is whether that move happens while he's still running around.

The pull is straightforward. Greene has a young family, and being closer to his support network in Victoria is a genuine factor. He said Essendon's newly appointed coach Mark McVeigh — a former Giants assistant — reached out to catch up after landing the job. A meeting with Geelong was likely to happen over the weekend.

Greene was equally clear about what would keep him in western Sydney. He would not stay if he didn't believe the Giants could finish top-four next year. But he also said winning a premiership with GWS would mean more than winning two or three elsewhere. He denied he had already made up his mind to leave.

The Giants have given their captain space. The club said it would let Greene assess his future with his family and take as much time as he needs after the 2026 season, which ended abruptly when the AFL suspended him in late August (Fox Footy).

Greene is not the only Giant weighing an exit. Key forward Jesse Hogan is also considering a move to a Victorian club under free agency (AFL.com.au). SEN reported this week that Greene's potential shift to Geelong is gathering momentum (SEN), with the Cats long viewed as the frontrunners for his signature.

For GWS, the stakes are real. Greene has been the face of the club since its earliest days. Losing a captain, a 282-game servant and a proven match-winner in one blow would test a list already bracing for other departures. Keeping him means convincing him the Giants can contend in 2027 — and that family life in Sydney can work.

Two weeks. Two clubs. One of the biggest calls of the trade period.