Grass greener in the VFL

[Dale61]

http://vfl.footballvic.com.au/_content/document/00047230-src.pdf

Former Hawk finds his home at Williamstown.

Steven Greene had a simple goal at the start of the 2006 season. After 42 games in five years with Hawthorn, Greene just wanted to enjoy his football again. His passion had been extinguished over the preceding years, and Greene candidly admits he felt as if he didn’t belong at Hawthorn.

Greene added just three AFL games to his tally last season in a frustrating finale to his AFL career.
“For me, this year had to be all about enjoyment, because the last two years at Hawthorn had been far from enjoyable,” Greene said.

While there were undoubted issues at AFL level, Greene never let these effect his time at Box Hill. Greene spent more time in the TRUenergy VFL than he did at the AFL during his time on Hawthorn’s list, racking up 64 games with Box Hill.

Greene was a standout in his last year at Box Hill, winning the club’s best and fairest.

“I did enjoy it, that was sort of my freedom,” Greene said. “I didn’t feel as if I belonged when I was training at Hawthorn, but once I got to Box Hill, I really looked forward to playing with them.”

Greene credits former Box Hill Hawks coach Andy Collins with helping him stay positive and bringing the maximum out of his game. Collins was able to provide Greene with constructive feedback, something the 24-year-old believes is vital to any footballer, no matter what the level. Greene also has an unflinching belief that if you play a team sport you give 100 per cent, regardless of where you are playing.

“Whenever I went down to Box Hill, I believed you had to give it your all,” he said.

Although he was at Box Hill when the Hawks won the 2001 flag, Greene did not play in the premiership side. The same weekend, Greene was amongst Hawthorn’s best in its heartbreaking nine point preliminary final loss to Essendon in front of 91,000 at the MCG. Not surprisingly, Greene rates that game as a career highlight.

Several factors contributed to Greene’s move to Williamstown, but former teammate Rayden Tallis’ glowing endorsement, coupled with the fact he new Seagulls’ captain Brad Lloyd and Ben Clifton from their time at Hawthorn, sealed the deal.

Greene also knew Andrew Williams and Brett Johnson, the Seagulls’ two other marquee signings in 2006. “Everything ‘Radar’ (Tallis) said turned out 100 per cent true. It is a terrific club and a great bunch of people,”
Greene said.