Greene to leave Giants ahead of expected move to Cats - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Toby Greene will leave the GWS after 15 seasons with the club. (Getty Images/AFL Photos: Mark Metcalfe)

The Giants have announced Toby Greene is leaving GWS after 15 seasons at the club.

He intends to join Geelong ahead of the 2027 season.

The Cats say they welcome Greene's decision.

The GWS Giants have confirmed Toby Greene will leave the club to potentially join Geelong ahead of the 2027 season.

The Giants released a brief statement on Thursday morning, announcing Greene's intention to return to his home state of Victoria.

Greene has told the Cats he wants to join the club from next season.

"The Giants have been advised by Toby Greene of his intention to move back to Victoria for family reasons with a view to joining the Geelong Football Club," the statement read.

Giants chief executive Dave Matthews told SEN radio Greene was leaving with the club's wishes.

"That's the decision he has made and we certainly respect that," Matthews said.

"He's been a celebrated figure at our club, a very important person and I know this has been a really tough decision, one he's largely made for family reasons."

Toby Greene (second from right) was a foundation player at the Giants. (Getty Images: AFL Photos/Mark Kolbe)

The 32-year-old has been offered a lucrative three-year deal to join Geelong.

Greene can join the Cats as an unrestricted free agent once the free agency period opens on October 2.

"We are really excited Toby wants to join the Geelong Football Club," Cats executive general manager of football, Andrew Mackie, said in a statement.

"We know this was a significant decision for Toby and his family, and we recognise what the Giants have meant to him and respect the contribution he has made to their club.

"We are looking forward to helping Toby write the next chapter of his career at the Cats."

Last week, Greene spoke about his talks with the Cats.

"With Geelong, I've had an open discussion," Greene said last week.

"Told them what I think about and what I wrestle with and they then explained what it would look like for me.

"Geelong would be a lot less travel and more time for family. They discussed aspects of the role and how it would look in the team."

The news comes after Zak Butters chose the Western Bulldogs, instead of the Cats, as his preferred destination following his exit from Port Adelaide.

Greene was a foundation player at the Giants, spending 15 seasons at the club.

He debuted in 2012 and kicked 450 goals across 282 senior matches.

Greene won the club's best and fairest award twice and is a three-time All-Australian.

He was named Giants' co-captain in 2022 before becoming the sole skipper the following season.