John Greening
Collingwood
AFL career
107 games70 goals
- Debut
- R5 1968 v HAW11 May 1968
- Most recent
- R8 1976 v FIT22 May 1976
Stats
Bio
Recruited from Burnie, Tasmania, John Greening burst onto the VFL scene as a teenager, quickly establishing himself as one of Collingwood's most dynamic talents. A brilliant wingman who could also rotate as a rover, Greening possessed a rare combination of aerial prowess, speed, and prolific ball-winning ability. By the midway point of the 1972 season, he was in career-best form and widely considered the favourite for the Brownlow Medal, dominating matches with a high-possession style that made him the premier player in the competition at just 21 years of age.
His trajectory was permanently altered during a match against St Kilda at Moorabbin in July 1972, where he was struck behind play by Jim O'Dea. The incident left Greening comatose with severe cerebral oedema, sparking fears for his life rather than just his football career. Although he eventually defied medical expectations to return to senior football in 1974 wearing a protective helmet, he was unable to recapture his dominant touch and retired in 1976. He remains one of the game's great "what ifs," revered at Victoria Park for the sheer brilliance he displayed before his prime was cut short.
Profile
- Born
- 20 Dec 1950 (age 75y 287d)
- Birthplace
- Burnie, TAS
- Height
- 185 cm
- Weight
- 83 kg
Teams
- Collingwood98 games, 66 goals1968–1972
- Collingwood9 games, 4 goals1974–1976
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from Burnie, Tasmania, John Greening burst onto the VFL scene as a teenager, quickly establishing himself as one of Collingwood's most dynamic talents. A brilliant wingman who could also rotate as a rover, Greening possessed a rare combination of aerial prowess, speed, and prolific ball-winning ability. By the midway point of the 1972 season, he was in career-best form and widely considered the favourite for the Brownlow Medal, dominating matches with a high-possession style that made him the premier player in the competition at just 21 years of age.
His trajectory was permanently altered during a match against St Kilda at Moorabbin in July 1972, where he was struck behind play by Jim O'Dea. The incident left Greening comatose with severe cerebral oedema, sparking fears for his life rather than just his football career. Although he eventually defied medical expectations to return to senior football in 1974 wearing a protective helmet, he was unable to recapture his dominant touch and retired in 1976. He remains one of the game's great "what ifs," revered at Victoria Park for the sheer brilliance he displayed before his prime was cut short.