John Greening
Encyclopedia
John Greening is a former Australian rules football
er who played with Collingwood
in the VFL
.
Tasmanian born, Greening moved to Victoria in 1967 aged 16, and attended Northcote High School
, after being recruited by Collingwood Football Club. He made his senior debut for the club the following year in a game against Hawthorn and became a regular in the side, playing as a ruck rover, half forward, centreman and wingman.
In 1972, as he was reaching his peak, he was cruelly felled behind play. He would make a brave recovery and his comeback match in 1974 was one of the most stirring and emotional events in the history of Collingwood."
He finished the 1972 season with a 7th placing in the Brownlow Medal
, despite only playing 14 games - an average of one vote per game, if the last 'injury game' is included in the calculation. In the Magpie's round 14 (8 July) encounter with St Kilda he had suffered severe cerebral concussion as a result of a hit received during the game. The incident took place after Greening had taken the first mark of the game, he kicked the ball towards Peter McKenna
in the goal square and was floored afterwards by St Kilda player Jim O'Dea
. Greening, who was coma
tose for 24 hours and didn't regain full consciousness for several days, was considered lucky not to die or at least be permanently disabled.
"Whatever happened - and I didn't see it - I think part of what did happen is he hit the ground and his head hit the cricket pitch... I looked down at Johnny and it gave me a dreadful fright. It was a horrific sight... he was severely hurt." Thompson and fellow Magpies were distraught, some thought Greening would die. "St Kilda's Jim O'Dea received a 10-match suspension for the incident, but Peter McKenna recalls that the initial fear as Greening's teammates ran towards their prostrate young wingman was that they would find him dead."
Greening rarely spoke of the incident, "It is not a pleasant anniversary for me... I was about 14 days in a coma... I went through pretty depressive times and still do... It only takes one act of stupidity or violence... and that is the end of the ball game."
During 1974 he surprised the footballing community by returning to the VFL, gathering 24 possessions in his comeback game. He managed just a further two games for the season and a total of six games during 1975 and 1976 before leaving Collingwood. "I made the comeback just to prove that I could do it and that was about all. Then I sort of stepped back." Greening finished his football career at Port Melbourne
in the then VFA
.
Fellow Magpie Len Thompson
described Greening in 2006, "Now we can say he was of the style we see today - with that great running skill... I think he was probably like a Robert Harvey
... he had magnificent balance, he used both sides of his body and he had this big ticker to run and cover ground."
"He was probably the most talented player I ever played with," said brilliant Magpie full-forward, Peter McKenna, who can recall Greening's spectacular return against Richmond 18 months (after his concussive 'hit' behind play), but only for a handful of senior games.
During July, 2007, Collingwood Football Club paid tribute to Greening in a tribute to its past Greats of the game. Subsequent to the event, the club released the following as part of its tribute: "Everything about John Greening bore the stamp of a champion - superb skills, sure hands, and an outrageous spring. He was quick, courageous and fair.
35 years after the 'Greening Incident', on 2 July 2007, Collingwood honoured Greening by a tribute prior to their Sunday home game.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played with Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in the VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
.
Tasmanian born, Greening moved to Victoria in 1967 aged 16, and attended Northcote High School
Northcote High School
Northcote High School is a co-educational, state high school in Northcote, Victoria, Australia. It is situated at the southern end of the City of Darebin, on St Georges Road.Teaching from Year 7 through 12, the school has a population of around 1,450 students...
, after being recruited by Collingwood Football Club. He made his senior debut for the club the following year in a game against Hawthorn and became a regular in the side, playing as a ruck rover, half forward, centreman and wingman.
In 1972, as he was reaching his peak, he was cruelly felled behind play. He would make a brave recovery and his comeback match in 1974 was one of the most stirring and emotional events in the history of Collingwood."
He finished the 1972 season with a 7th placing in the Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
, despite only playing 14 games - an average of one vote per game, if the last 'injury game' is included in the calculation. In the Magpie's round 14 (8 July) encounter with St Kilda he had suffered severe cerebral concussion as a result of a hit received during the game. The incident took place after Greening had taken the first mark of the game, he kicked the ball towards Peter McKenna
Peter McKenna
Peter McKenna is a former Australian rules footballer, who played 180 games and kicked 838 goals with the Collingwood Football Club between 1965 and 1975, where he spent the majority of his career...
in the goal square and was floored afterwards by St Kilda player Jim O'Dea
Jim O'Dea
Jim O'Dea is a former Australian rules footballer who played 167 games with St Kilda in the VFL from 1967 until 1980.O'Dea was a defender who usually played across half back. He is known for an infamous incident which took place at the Moorabbin Oval during Round 14 of the 1972 season when he...
. Greening, who was coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
tose for 24 hours and didn't regain full consciousness for several days, was considered lucky not to die or at least be permanently disabled.
"Whatever happened - and I didn't see it - I think part of what did happen is he hit the ground and his head hit the cricket pitch... I looked down at Johnny and it gave me a dreadful fright. It was a horrific sight... he was severely hurt." Thompson and fellow Magpies were distraught, some thought Greening would die. "St Kilda's Jim O'Dea received a 10-match suspension for the incident, but Peter McKenna recalls that the initial fear as Greening's teammates ran towards their prostrate young wingman was that they would find him dead."
Greening rarely spoke of the incident, "It is not a pleasant anniversary for me... I was about 14 days in a coma... I went through pretty depressive times and still do... It only takes one act of stupidity or violence... and that is the end of the ball game."
During 1974 he surprised the footballing community by returning to the VFL, gathering 24 possessions in his comeback game. He managed just a further two games for the season and a total of six games during 1975 and 1976 before leaving Collingwood. "I made the comeback just to prove that I could do it and that was about all. Then I sort of stepped back." Greening finished his football career at Port Melbourne
Port Melbourne Football Club
The Port Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Borough, is an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Port Melbourne and is currently playing in the Victorian Football League ....
in the then VFA
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
.
Fellow Magpie Len Thompson
Len Thompson
Len Thompson was an Australian rules footballer, who played for most of his career at Collingwood.-Collingwood:...
described Greening in 2006, "Now we can say he was of the style we see today - with that great running skill... I think he was probably like a Robert Harvey
Robert Harvey (footballer)
Robert Jeffrey Harvey is a former Australian rules football player for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League...
... he had magnificent balance, he used both sides of his body and he had this big ticker to run and cover ground."
"He was probably the most talented player I ever played with," said brilliant Magpie full-forward, Peter McKenna, who can recall Greening's spectacular return against Richmond 18 months (after his concussive 'hit' behind play), but only for a handful of senior games.
During July, 2007, Collingwood Football Club paid tribute to Greening in a tribute to its past Greats of the game. Subsequent to the event, the club released the following as part of its tribute: "Everything about John Greening bore the stamp of a champion - superb skills, sure hands, and an outrageous spring. He was quick, courageous and fair.
35 years after the 'Greening Incident', on 2 July 2007, Collingwood honoured Greening by a tribute prior to their Sunday home game.