GWS forward Toby Greene is free to play against Brisbane in this week's semi final after being fined at the tribunal on Monday night.
Greene was hit with a $7,500 whack after pleading guilty to serious misconduct after an incident with Bulldogs midfielder Marcus Bontempelli on Saturday.
Vision emerged on Sunday of Greene with his hands around the face of Bontempelli, with suggestions he may have attempted an eye-gouge.
MORE: St Kilda Hall of Famer dies in car crash
At the tribunal on Monday night, Greene pleaded guilty to serious misconduct, showing remorse when giving evidence and admitting he'd "overstepped the mark".
Greene was also helped by the Bulldogs' medical report which said Bontempelli required no further treatment.
Both AFL counsel Jeff Gleeson and Greene's representatives agreed that a significant fine would be an appropriate sanction, with the panel taking 12 minutes to come up with the final figure.
Significantly, there was no mention of the classifiable offence of 'unreasonable or unnecessary contact to the face/eye-region'.
Following the hearing, journalist Mark Robinson labelled it a joke, suggesting the charge the AFL pursued wasn't deserving of such a big fine.
"That's a joke," Robinson said on AFL 360.
"I thought 'eye-gouging'? Toby, if you're guilty of that, go and sit for 10 weeks, simple as that.
"He's been found guilty of forearm rubbing into the face, pulling hair and hands on the face. If that is the charge, he had to get off.
"That's not worth a $7,500 fine.
"I think this has been overblown...now that I've heard the evidence, it's a joke."
While Robinson thought the fine was too harsh, plenty of fans thought Greene got off lightly, particularly given his record and similar incidents earlier this season.
Ben Stratton pleaded guilty to serious misconduct and was suspended for 2 week's. Toby Greene pleaded guilty to serious misconduct and the AFL advocate thought it was appropriate to ask for a fine.
— Keith Ian Anderson (@KeithAn15068821) September 9, 2019
Tonight was Toby Greene’s 17th indiscretion related to the tribunal, it’s one of his most serious (which is saying something) & he still doesn’t get suspended because it’s Finals & AFL cares about entertainment value above all. What bullshit, he wasn’t even remorseful afterwards.
— AJ. (@CarltonFC_AJ) September 9, 2019
AFL Tribunal is a total joke, repeat offender Toby Greene gets a puny fine, for eye gouging a player, and banging that players head into the turf several times, what a joke, so the thug is free to play this week ???? This is unreal, he should have got least 3 games out. unreal.!
— stephen fischer (@stephenmorphy11) September 9, 2019
The latest sanction takes Greene's career total fines to $26,350.
The Giants and Greene are now set to travel to the Gabba where they will face off against the Lions in the semi final, where the winner will progress to play Collingwood in the preliminary final at the MCG.
