Adam Kingsley says Toby Greene is built for the big moments but says he doesn’t want his team to rely on him come finals

By Martin Pegan at Engie Stadium

Toby Greene acknowledges the fans after the match between Greater Western Sydney and St Kilda at Engie Stadium in round 24, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

GREATER Western Sydney forward Toby Greene again proved he is a player made for “big moments”, but coach Adam Kingsley has warned his side cannot rely solely on their captain as they begin their finals campaign.

The Giants were on the brink of losing their grip on a home final as St Kilda threatened to cause an upset that would have shaken up the top eight, before Greene took command of the final term to inspire the hosts to an 11-point victory at Engie Stadium.

The three-time All-Australian booted two goals and had a direct hand in another after the last change, before hauling in a pair of spectacular marks as the clock ticked down to help save the game for the Giants on Sunday. 

GIANTS v SAINTS Full match coverage and stats 

“That’s Toby, isn’t it,” Kingsley said post-match. ” There are not many players really that, back-to-back, can not only generate another 30 seconds for you to take that off the clock, hit the post from the boundary line, pretty close shot, and then knew that they were going to attack corridor and protected it for us. Absolutely brilliant.

“That’s what he does. But having said that, we don’t want to rely on that, but it’s nice when it does happen.

“He’s done that all year, to be fair, the leadership that he’s shown throughout the course of the year, particularly in big moments, I think he’s outstanding.”

Kingsley is confident the Giants are better placed than they were at the same time last year when his side finished in the top four but were bundled out in straight sets after a pair of gut-wrenching finals defeats.

The Giants could have as many as five first-choice players newly available for the first week of the finals, including Brent Daniels who made a promising return from injury in the VFL.

But vice-captain Stephen Coniglio will enter concussion protocols after crashing into Saints midfielder Marcus Windhager in a tackle and being subbed out in the second term. 

“I think we’re better (than this time last year), Kingsley said. “I think we’ve grown in our ability in close games, to manage them. 

“We’ve been reasonable at them but clearly in the finals last year we didn’t get it done, so I feel like we’re in a better space with that.”

The Saints were unable to call on Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera for a brief but critical period in the dying stages as the young gun suffered from cramp and had to spend time on the bench.

Wanganeen-Milera had a solid, if not quite spectacular game, after extending his stay with the Saints earlier this week but was outshone by Darcy Wilson who booted a career-high five goals.

Max Hall and Windhager were other emerging Saints to stand up as their side pushed the Giants but coach Ross Lyon refused to use the narrow defeat to a finalist as a sign of too much promise heading into the break.

“I wouldn’t say spring in the step,” Lyon said when asked whether the Saints could use their late-season form, which included four consecutive wins before facing the Giants, to bounce into the pre-season. 

“I thought we improved. We knew it would be a good measure (against the Giants), ultimately we fell short, didn’t we? So CSB (centre square bounce), forward 50 stoppage, I thought they scored too easily.

“But we’re young in defence and drinking from the fountain of youth.”