#4 Toby Greene - Inaugural Giant (Pick 11, 2011 National Draft)

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Andre the Giant

Norm Smith Medallist
Feb 20, 2012
6,625
9,522
Melbourne, VIC
AFL Club
GWS
#4 - Toby Greene



077532-toby-greene.jpg



DOB - 25/09/93
Height/Weight - 182 cms, 83 kgs
Games - 19
Goals - 8
Debut - Round 1 vs Sydney - 24-03-2012
Ave Disp - 28.4
Brownlow Votes - 4
BOG - 1

The Baby Faced Assassin

Toby Greene started his inaugural AFL season (2012) with the fledgling GWS Giants as a well regarded midfielder who was a classy junior footballer. He ended the season as the standout first year player of the AFL, GWS Rookie of the Year, and bona fide star in the making.

Greene was taken at pick 11 in the 2011 AFL Draft and was a much admired draft contender after a stellar junior career where he excelled at the NAB AFL Under 18 Championships, averaging 24.5 disposals.

He was awarded All Australian honours and MVP for Vic Metro. He also had an outstanding year in the TAC Cup, averaging 29.2 disposals, six clearances and six hard ball gets.

After a solid pre-season where Greene impressed in several practice games, he was selected in GWS' debut AFL game against the Sydney Swans. In a well beaten team Greene was super impressive amassing 27 possessions including 12 kicks and laying 5 tackles. This game set the tone for what was to be an unbelievable year for the young ball magnet.

Throughout the course of the year Greene was able to consistently post big disposal numbers. In round 2 against North Melbourne he posted 31, in round 12 against Hawthorn it was 34, against Collingwood it was 35 and in rounds 17 and 19 against Melbourne and North Melbourne he posted an astonishing 38 disposals!

Importantly, Greene was able to perform equally and impressively against all opposition, never intimidated and never in fear. Also importantly Greene did not merely win cheap possessions, he fought tenaciously to find the ball and ran through every game beyond the point of fatigue.

Greene has an innate ability to find the ball, his positioning and game sense is remarkable as is his ability to find team mates either by hand or foot in close contests.

Greene has a tough exterior and is not afraid to get in and fight for the ball. A naturally aggressive character, Greene was unfortunately booked in Round 7 against Brisbane for rough conduct on Lion Jed Adcock. This impulsive act ultimately cost Greene the AFL Rising Star award for which he was a lock to win.

In terms of areas of improvement, kicking disposal is probably the one area which Toby Greene really needs to work on. Throughout his stellar year the one area which let him down at times was his kicking, particularly when under pressure.

Some of this can be put down to his massive work rate and some to the fact he sometimes fatigued as a first year player, but those points aside it is an area which requires work if he is to become truly elite.

With a further full off season to build on his tank and for his team mates to also have the opportunity to build their strength and endurance one would expect Toby Greene to again have a strong season in 2013.

As a strongly built individual with excellent endurance and great evasive skills it should be expected that he will once again hold down a pivotal midfield role and be one of GWS' most valuable resources.

2nd year blues is always a possibility and no doubt he will be targeted by opposition coaches more readily in 2013, but personally I don't see Greene suffering from this.

Throughout Greene's junior career he has always amassed massive disposal numbers, he understands the game, knows where to run, and has the work ethic to find the ball if it's not coming to him. There is not much opposition's can do to negate these qualities.

Greene has the ability to be one of the premier midfielders in the competition if he continues to improve and work on what he already has. It is not unrealistic to think this prodigious young talent could not eventually lift himself to the Dane Swan, Sam Mitchell class and be one of the truly elite players of the AFL.

2013 looms as another wonderful year for Toby Greene, the baby faced assassin of the AFL.
 
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With Israel Folau's old No.4 on his back, Toby Greene is sporting Greater Western Sydney's most recognised jumper. But if last week was any indication, the youngster is also firmly in the sights of the opposition.
The Giants' leading possession-getter in their inaugural season, Greene was one of the revelations of 2012, thanks to his ability to hunt the ball.
Accustomed to racking up big numbers week in, week out, he was given a sobering reminder of the attention he will receive after his impressive debut season.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/rival-teams-keeping-a-close-eye-on-teen-greene-20130404-2h9tx.html#ixzz2UVtJrAIT
 

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Next time you watch that "hey get me another beer - children learn attitudes to alcohol" ad, have a look at the first young kid to get the beer. Tell me that's not Toby ;)
 
He needs to put on weight - he needs to make his tackles stick. Though he also needs to work on his speed.

But all that would be forgiven if he could make better decisions and dispose the ball better.
 
IN 2012, Greater Western Sydney midfielder Toby Greene was nothing short of a revelation.

At the tender age of 18, he averaged 28.4 possessions over 20 games, which was good enough for eighth overall in the AFL.

That put him ahead of some of the game's biggest names including Patrick Dangerfield, Trent Cotchin and Brett Deledio.

But it is a performance the youngster admits he has struggled to back up.

http://www.gwsgiants.com.au/news/2013-07-04/tobys-challenge
 
This is what the pre-season record says about our Toby:

Dreamteam info:
Mid
Ave: 76.58
$415,100

Lauded for a stunning rookie season in 2012 when he averaged better than 28 possessions a game and was runner-up in the giants' best and fairest, Greene found the going tougher in his second year. Used in unfamiliar run-with-roles, he found himself in the NEAFL midway through the year, but bounced back well and will be keen to re-establish himself in 2014.

My view: there's much better value around at that price tag, including amongst Toby's team mates, but, he's definitely capable of averaging 90+ points and increasing his value during the year.

Named on HFF for opening round clash.
 

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http://www.gwsgiants.com.au/news/2016-05-02/pocket-profile-toby-greene
Name: Toby Greene

Nickname: The TF

What was your best break in life: Leaving Melbourne

Best piece of advice your mother gave you: Home by 1 TF

If you weren’t a footballer, what would you like to be: Travel blogger

Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by: Good day to be alive

If you could ask someone to be your mentor, who would it be: Mum

Morning or evening person: Adaptable

Favourite timeslot to play in: Saturday, 2.10pm

Favourite footy journalist: Jack Harvey

Favourite TV caller/commentator: The Duck

Worst injury: Patella tendon

How many text messages do you send a day: 26

Three phone apps you can’t live without: Soundcloud, Crownbet, Zomato

Favourite Twitter account you follow: Nathan Wilson

Best concert you’ve been to: Justin Timberlake

Where did you holiday after last season: South America – in style with Rhys Palmer

Favourite sport other than football: Soccer

What sport would you like to compete in at the 2016 Olympics: 100m sprint

Can you change a spare tyre: Yes

Do you iron your own shirts: Yes

Favourite restaurant: Dairy Bell

Do you believe in UFOs: No

What three items would you take to a desert island: Speakers, mates, good attitude

Any special hobbies or interests: Exploring the world

Three famous people you would like to meet: Tupac, Kurt Cobain, Marlyn Monroe

What do you have that is of great value to you, but no one else: Memories
 
GWSGWS Giant Toby Greene knows all too well perceptions can hurt and be hard to shakeMay 21, 2016 6:00pm

MARK ROBINSONHerald Sun

?You want these big games?

TOBY Greene doesn’t look you in eye at first.

He knows it’s a warts and all safari through a life of just 22 years and he takes a little time to warm up.

Gather it’s a sense of trust for Greene. That, and a self-preservation mechanism that refrains him from telling absolutely everything.

“Let’s have a few beers one night and I’ll tell you some stories,’’ he says.

He said that with a grin, which was quarter smart-arse-ish, quarter cheeky, quarter intriguing and quarter know-it-all, like, mate, are you ready for me to lay it all out.

He had stories thrown at him, mind you.

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Giants Toby Greene knows what he did early in his career was wrong. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Like the time, at Setanta O’ hAilpin’s wedding in Hawaii, when a drunk Greene left a nightclub, had forgotten his jacket, wanted to get back in and the bouncers said no. The result was Greene took on the bouncers in a fight and took a pounding.

“How did you know that?’’ he said. “I don’t know the story real well because I don’t remember it. The best person to be asking is Paul Bower (former Carton teammate of O’hAilpin’s). I think he saved my life. I got a massive hiding.’’

Another confrontation minutes later with an African American, who was not a bouncer, made it a quinella of pain. “Yeah, um, can’t remember that one,’’ he said.

How many can’t remembers in life? “Not many, but that was one, but that was a big day. It was hot, I think the heat got to me.’’

I was pretty upset, being on the verge tears when I had to say sorry to the boys.

- Toby Greene

As is said in American sports, he’s got game.

He also, at times, has been described as being loose. But those who know him well say he’s adventurous, worldly, caring, fiercely loyal to friends and you get the feeling his mum is the most important person in his life.

The oldest of three boys — his brothers are Eddie, 18, and Hughie, 20 — Greene grew up in Ashburton with his mum and Malvern with his dad. The parents split when Greene was “five or six’’, but that did not deny him having a loving upbringing.

“No, I don’t think I had a difficult upbringing. Mum and dad were pretty much the complete opposite. Mum was a really good mum. I went to a private school, got a scholarship to Wesley and that was lucky, and Dad sort of had some troubles growing up. He’s still a good dad, but he couldn’t control himself sometimes I guess.’’

Nor could Greene always as a teenager.

Toby Greene as a teenager before the AFL draft. Picture: Herald Sun

Greene almost missed his AFL career.

A prolific ball-winning midfielder, he played junior footy for Ashburton and Wesley College before getting the attention of the Oakleigh Chargers.

He is famously remembered in one game for Wesley, when after cramping in the midfield late in the final quarter, he was moved forward and kicked four goals in a final quarter to lift his team to victory.

“Toby just has a real desire for competition and appetite for hard work,’’ Wesley coach Peter Curran told the Herald Sun 2012, during Greene’s first year with Greater Western Sydney.

Before being drafted, he also had an appetite for partying.

“I got better when I thought I was going to get drafted,’’ he said. “I was all right. I mucked around a bit as a kid, 16, 17, 18. I had a bit of freedom on weekends and I probably made the most of that and not always in a good way, but it was part of growing up. I could pretty much do whatever I wanted on weekends and I probably wasn’t ready for that.’’

A weekend troublemaker?

“I wasn’t rude or anything, yeah, just a troublemaker.’’

Like? “Walk around the streets doing stupid s**t, not so much fighting, maybe a bit of throwing eggs at cars and getting them to chase us. That was high on the list.’’

Drinking? “Yeah, sometimes.’’

The fact is Green first got drunk at 14, which doesn’t make him Robinson Crusoe, and he was fond of bourbon at 15.

His weekends were simple enough back then, although mum wasn’t in the know.

Greene’s father Mick and his uncle Paul were legend amateur players with De La Salle and Victoria, and Greene would always watch them play.

“I’d go to Dairy Bell park, watch dad, play footy for Ashburton on Sundays, and I’d usually have a few people at my house on Saturday nights and that was pretty much my weekends,’’ he said.

Asked if dad was lenient, he said: “He is one of the nicest guys, you’d ever meet. If you ask all my mates, he always looked after us really well, he just let so much go. He’s really caring, really understanding, but he’s just put his body through too much.’’

If I had another incident now, they’d get rid of me for sure, they’d have to. If that happened, it would mean my dream is over.

There were moments with dad and son, although son didn’t want to go into deep detail.

The truth is Mick’s had issues with alcohol. But Mick is doing well, which thrills his son.

There was a time, though, when the relationship was strained.

In 2013, at the MCG after GWS won its first game in Melbourne, Mick was three sheets to wind and joined family and friends in the rooms post-match.

He was boisterous — and Greene lost it with him.

“I had a massive go at him because it was pretty embarrassing for me,’’ he said. “This was in front of everyone. He’s always pretty loud at footy games and then he came into the change rooms and it was embarrassing. Everyone was, like, who the hell is the bloke. I just walked away and then I came out 10 minutes later, I pushed him, and told him I would never talk to him again.

“And I didn’t speak to him for awhile, but he’s been good lately, I’ve been speaking to him heaps more.’’

Toby Greene faces the music after incident at Caulfield hotel. Picture: Mark Stewart

Greene was next on the Giants radar — publicly at least — in May, 2014, after an incident at Caulfield hotel Zagames.

After a night drinking at Etihad Stadium, Greene and a mate, Charles Haley, got into fight with a security controller at Zagames.

Greene was arrested — and subsequently and fined $2500 for his involvement in the brawl — and taken to Prahran police station, the same station he was taken to after the drink-driving episode.

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Loyalty to a mate — which is an age-old excuse reason of finding trouble — lured him into the fight, which started after Greene and Haley were refused service for being too drunk.

Greene shakes his head at his stupidity.

“It was stupid, no need for it, I was just being a d---head, really. I didn’t provoke it, he did, and then I bit back, yeah,’’ he said.

It was the 6am phone call to mum from the police station that was, he said, one of the turning points of his life.

“It was pretty bad. I didn’t say much on the phone. I said, ‘Mum, I’ve mucked up, you’ve got to come and pick me up’. She was, like, ‘Oh no, what have you done?’ I said I’ll tell you when you get here.’’

Police had confiscated his belongings, including his clothes, so when mum arrived he was at the police counter wearing “one those white suits from Breaking Bad’’. His clothes came home, he said, a year later.

“In the car, I told mum what happened and she was crying ... the embarrassment she would’ve felt, that was the worst thing. She was devastated.’’

It was made worse when news crews and media were out the front of the house the next day.

The Giants weren’t pleased, either. He was fined $5000 and suspended for five weeks.

“I was pretty upset, being on the verge tears when I had to say sorry to the boys,’’ he said.

“The leadership group called me in, told me my punishment. I was pretty angry and upset. Heath Shaw spoke to me one-on-one because he’s been the same, not in the same situation, but having incurred a similar punishment. He told me ‘the boys love ya, you mean a lot to the team, you’ve just got to learn from it, it’s where you must grow up.

“I haven’t done anything wrong since. I run away from it these days.’’

He says he doesn’t have an alcohol problem, but part of the outcome with GWS was he attend alcohol counselling. It’s fair to say, the counsellor didn’t leave an impression.

“He was a counsellor, but I can’t say I listened to him much. Look, I couldn’t even tell you his name. I don’t believe in that stuff. I knew myself what I had to do and what I did wrong. I’d rather listen to my mum, she’s better at that stuff rather than counsellors. I care about what mum says.’’

Hand on heart, you been a good boy?

“I just walk away if something’s going to happen, you don’t want to go through that again.’’ he said.

“If I had another incident now, they’d get rid of me for sure, they’d have to. If that happened, it would mean my dream is over.’’

Toby Greene knows all too well any more off-field slip ups could impact his AFL career. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Teammate, friend and captain, Callan Ward, passed judgment on Greene, which for a time threatened the friendship.

“We were close, then he was off me for a bit,’’ Ward said. “He didn’t give me much for awhile. But he grew up. We had a conversation about it. I remember I said to him: ‘You were off me for a bit, after we suspended you’.’’

Greene: “Yeah, at the time, I didn’t understand it, but I went away, thought about it, and thought there’s no point why I shouldn’t be myself again.’’

Perceptions hurt. Greene is loved at the club, by teammates and staff, but the same affection is not extended externally.

“I don’t think some people like me, there’s been a few incidents, like the spitting incident last year,’’ he said.

Playing against Richmond in Round 14, footage captured Greene spitting at opponent Anthony Miles. Greene accepted the $1500 fine but denied intent.

“I didn’t intend to spit on, I was spitting in his direction. That’s 100 per cent,’’ Greene said.

“I think people think I’m a kind of a lad. I do care to an extent what people think of me, you want to be perceived in a way about how you go about your footy and life in a good manner and I’d like be perceived like that.’’

After punctuated off-field life, Greene’s football is thriving.

He calls himself one of the old young ones and at 22, he’s played 82 games, the third most at the Giants behind Ward (91) and Devon Smith (83).

He’s been squeezed out of the midfield in recent times and assumed the role of a high half-forward and is averaging 23 disposals and kicked 10 goals in 2016.

Ward says since the Zagames brawl, Greene has matured as footballer and person.

“He’s come a long, long, long way,’’ he said. “The natural progression of a footballer and as a person is you mature at 20, 21 and I think that’s what he’s done.

“He was young and loved to have a good time, but he understood he needed to change.

“I’ve had conversations with him, the whole leadership, his manager Paul Connors had conversations, I’m sure his parents have, and it’s a great credit to him. He knew he couldn’t keep going the way he was.

“As a bloke, he’s one of the most caring you’d meet. One of the reasons which got him trouble was his loyalty to his mates. He always looks after the people he cares about.’’
 
Toby wins All Australian honors :thumbsu:

http://www.gwsgiants.com.au/video/2016-09-01/toby-greene-all-australian

Toby Greene wins Kevin Sheedy Medal as GWS Giants' best and fairest
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This was the season when the boys of GWS became men of the AFL, and that theme continued on Friday night with small forward Toby Greene taking home the Kevin Sheedy medal as the club's best and fairest player. It capped a remarkable year for the 23-year-old who won All Australian selection for the first time as the Giants surged into a maiden finals campaign
http://www.smh.com.au/afl/greater-w...-giants-best-and-fairest-20161007-grxk7i.html
 
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-01-02/star-giant-toby-greene-happy-staying-up-forward

TOBY Greene has no plans to change his role at Greater Western Sydney next year and believes he can improve on his career-best 2016 season. Greene won the Giants' best and fairest and was named in the All Australian starting 18 after an outstanding season in which he booted 43 goals from 23 games, led the league in goal assists, and was ranked second for inside 50s. The 23-year-old averaged 21.3 possessions per game playing as a high half-forward for GWS, with the odd stint in the midfield, and thrived alongside veteran recruit Steve Johnson, as the Giants made it all the way to the preliminary final.

After such a massive impact last season, and the arrival of former Richmond star Brett Deledio, who has been earmarked to also play as a forward, one could forgive Greene for wanting to get back into the onball rotation in 2017, but he told AFL.com.au that he's more than happy to stay put inside 50. "I think I'll stay as a forward next year, there's too much to do in the midfield," he joked. "I haven't sat down with Leon (Cameron) yet to discuss it in detail, but I'm keen to play a similar role to last season, playing as a forward with the occasional run in the middle. I've just got to keep doing the same things I've been doing, and that’s keeping my head down and training hard. With Brett Deledio working with us now, he brings a different dynamic, and he's on fire at training so it's great to be learning off those sorts of guys. He's been great around the group, he adds a lot of class to our team, can play a variety of roles, and has the speed too."

With Greene, Deledio, Johnson and Devon Smith, the Giants have plenty of star power at ground level in the forward half, to perfectly complement their trio of talls in Jeremy Cameron, Jonathon Patton, and Rory Lobb, who kicked 120 goals between them last season. Greene said although he was the one locked into a roving role last season, he doubts he'll be the only one doing it next year. "I think anyone in our forward group can play up the ground, we even saw 'Lobby' (Rory Lobb) and 'Jezza' (Jeremy Cameron) getting up there last season," he said. "It gives the coaches a different angle if we're struggling a bit and it absolutely helps having a lot of variety in the team."

Despite the fact that Greene, Patton and Lobb all had breakout seasons this year, and the on-field success of the team, the Giants' forwards have already targeted where they need to be better in 2017. While GWS had no issues kicking a winning score this year, Greene said the forward group has to work harder when they don't have the footy to maintain pressure on the opposition. "Defensively I've got to add a fair bit of improvement in me, and as a forward line group, we were pretty poor with that type of stuff last year," he said. "We've spoken about that, so that’s been one of my big focuses over the pre-season. We recognised that we need to do a lot better with things like our tackling pressure inside 50 and locking the ball in our half."
 
Congratulations Toby, first of the 2011 draft class to reach 100 games!

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...s/news-story/a6660c5afe37c66bdb5151e4dd416a6d

THREE years ago Toby Greene was no certainty to make it to 50 AFL games let alone 100. A night out with his mates in Melbourne ended up with assault charges and a seven-week club-enforced ban. Fast-forward three years and Greene has turned himself into one of the best players in the competition and sits on the cusp of a special milestone in Saturday’s must-win game against Gold Coast at Spotless Stadium. The 23-year-old will become just the second Giant after Callan Ward to reach a century and the first of the original draftees. Greene has been repaying their faith ever since. His stunning 2016 season earned him the Kevin Sheedy Medal and All Australian honours where he was named alongside the game’s best small forwards Eddie Betts and Cyril Rioli. “To be part of a club which started from nothing and one of the originals makes it more significant,” Greene said. “It is something I’ll be proud of when I look back.”

https://au.sports.yahoo.com/afl/a/34877652/toby-greene-kicks-five-in-record-gws-giants-afl-win/
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...t/news-story/cb830224047b29530b92b19415829ea6

SIX goals from Jeremy Cameron and five from 100 gamer Toby Greene has returned the Giants back to the winners list in style with a 102-point belting of the hapless Gold Coast Suns at Spotless Stadium. Greene’s five was the perfect celebration for his century and helped the premiership favourites return to form after being belted by 56 points by the Crows last week.

Always loved Toby, from the first year when he showed both brilliant skills as a first-year draftee at the contest and great protectiveness towards his fellow teammates, through the ups and downs, to his brilliant form that saw him honoured as an AA last year. First to 100 games shows his toughness and skills, and topped off by a great game including 5 goals. Really cementing himself as a great GWS player. Congratulations - hopefully many more to come for us.
 
For completeness, these are who Toby has beaten to the 100 games from the 2011 draft:

1. Jonathon Patton
2. Stephen Coniglio
5. Matt Buntine
7. Nick Haynes
9. Adam Tomlinson
(Toby taken at 11)
14. Devon Smith
56. Tom Downie


I imagine both Coniglio and Smith must be pretty close to it as well.
 
Great article by Chris Judd on Toby Green: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/afl...e-for-rogues-in-football-20170403-gvc7iu.html

Extract:

It has been only two-and-a-half years since Toby Greene, 100-game player and one of my favourites to watch, was in court over a drunken fight with a bouncer and some of his mates outside of football. But in that time, the growth he has experienced on the field, and reportedly off it as a person, has seen him become arguably GWS's most important player. Greene would be classed as a footy "rogue", a dying breed in the modern game, but a species of footballer that will never become entirely extinct. For his misdemeanour years ago, Greene was fined $5000 by GWS and issued a five-match ban, on top of the penalties he received at the hands of the legal system. GWS would have had discussions around just how big a sanction he should be given and whether he should be managed out altogether.

Not all football rogues are created equal. You have your good ones and your bad ones. The good ones can be magnificent to play with, and are often the best teammates to line up next to. But the bad ones can be incredibly destructive, and can take a huge amount of time and resources away from young developing players who need them most. The difference between a good rogue and a bad one is how much they care about being part of a successful team.
I've always felt that the two easiest ways to assess this is how hard players train and how they play during close games. Verbal commitments around care for club count for very little. While a lack of self-control is a consistent character trait of all footy rogues, the player who pays nothing more than lip service to club success does so because of either selfishness or, sadly, because they're battling mental health issues that can sometimes leave the sufferer with little room for other battles outside of those occurring inside their own head. Either way, if the care isn't there, it's best the player isn't either, so that other players can get the attention they deserve. Or in the case of the player with mental health concerns, so that they can dedicate all their own resources to getting their health back on track.

GWS's correct assessment of Greene's passion for the club back in 2014 will go down as one of the club's highly successful decisions and one that was validated by Greene winning the club's best and fairest last year. If winning a best and fairest in a premiership year is the most important individual honour in the game, winning one in a preliminary final year isn't far behind. Not only did Greene achieve that, he did so playing in the hardest position of today's game. High half-forwards must push up into the midfield to pressure opposition wings, before regularly sprinting back towards their own goals to even up the numbers in their own forward line. They spend the game playing against one and a half direct opponents. It's an enormous amount of work, and has a much larger defensive component than many pundits give credit for. But even more impressive than his workrate is the fact that Greene is often one of the first GWS players who responds on the field when they're challenged by opposition. Greene has paid back the faith he's been showed, and while clubs have to think long and hard about the personality types that infiltrate their clubs, the rogue, while decreasing in number, will never disappear.
 

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