AFL world sends flood of messages over news about Toby Greene and partner Georgia
The news about the GWS Giants captain comes on the eve of the new AFL season.
Toby Greene and partner Georgia Stirton have announced the birth of their first child together just days out from the new AFL season. Greene shared the news on social media over the weekend by posting a video of his new baby's legs kicking, writing: "New best friend”.
The post sparked a flood of congratulatory messages from around the AFL world for the former bad boy of the league. Greene has transformed himself over recent years and has ascended to the captaincy of the GWS Giants, leading them all the way to the preliminary final last year.
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Speaking last week, he opened up about becoming a father for the first time - the latest step in his bid to change his image. “I’ll be making plenty of phone calls to mum and friends who have had babies and will just go on from there,” he said.
“I don’t think I’ve thought about it too much, I’m just taking it in. Once it comes I’m sure it’s going to be a big shock to the system. (Life) will be a little bit harder but a lot of the boys have done it throughout my time in the AFL. It’s something you’ve got to deal with, you might lose a few hours of sleep here or there, but that’s alright.
“I’ve done a full pre-season so the body is good to go. It’s just about managing it when I have to and I’m sure Georgia will be super accommodating as well. She’ll be a super good mum.”
Toby Greene and Melbourne Demons players share happy news
The news of Greene and Stirton's pregnancy was first made public when she showed off her baby bump on the red carpet at the Brownlow Medal last year. The happy news came after Greene was left devastated when the Giants went down to Collingwood in the prelim and fell agonisingly short of making the grand final.
“It’s hard to reflect on the season when you get that close. That one hurts. That one really hurts,” Greene told Channel 7. “It’s a tough changeroom at the moment, but we’ll come together. We’ll come back stronger. You put yourself out there, you get that close, that’s what happens.
“It was an awesome year, but once you get this close you want to go on and win it. We felt like we were good enough too, but hats off to Collingwood they were tough tonight. Flip of a coin, really, in the end and it just hurts.”
Greene isn't the only AFL player celebrating happy family news, with Melbourne Demons player Alex Neal-Bullen also announcing the arrival of a new baby, and teammate Steven May revealing partner Sachi Dade is pregnant. Neal-Bullen wrote on social media with a pic of his new daughter: "Zara Anne Neal-Bullen. Her mum is incredible and I am so proud to be a girl dad."
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