GREATER Western Sydney CEO David Matthews hopes the five-game suspension handed to midfielder Toby Greene by the club will be a "turning point" in the youngster's career.
Greene will miss the Giants' next five matches – and will also be ineligible club's NEAFL side – as part of a penalty handed down for breaching club protocol.
The 20-year-old was also fined $5000 for drinking alcohol while recovering from an ankle injury, and was penalised for failing to notify Giants management in a timely manner of a raft of assault charges handed down by Victoria Police.
"Toby has been very remorseful. He's a good young man, he's five minutes into a career that we hope goes for 10 years," Matthews told radio station 3AW on Monday night.
"We thought our leadership group, and the management and board needed to make a strong stand.
"We want to see this being a real turning point for him."
Greene was charged by police with intentionally causing serious injury, recklessly causing injury, affray, assault in company, assault by kicking, assault with a weapon, unlawful assault, making threats to inflict serious injury, being drunk in a public place and criminal damage.
AFL.com.au also revealed Greene may have been involved in an earlier incident during the St Kilda-Carlton contest at Etihad Stadium that same evening.
Greene's manager Paul Connors believed a five-match ban was too harsh and began appeal proceedings with the support of the AFL Players Association.
But the appeal was withdrawn after talks involving the club over the weekend, and Matthews said he was glad "common sense (had) prevailed".
Matthews was overseas when the leadership group handed the sanction to Greene, although he confirmed he had been heavily involved in the process.
He said both club management and the board had supported the strong stance.
The CEO also did not rule out having Greene's ban reduced if the club decided he had fulfilled the Giants' strict conditions.
A 19-year-old Melbourne man was charged along with Greene after the alleged incident, which took place at Zagames in Caulfield East late last Monday night
Both men were granted bail, and are due to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on September 25.
