Giants defender Adam Tomlinson has warned Crows players and supporters who plan to target Toby Greene in Thursday's qualifying final that they do so at their peril, with GWS set to adopt a siege mentality at a hostile Adelaide Oval against the minor premier.
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Greene has been a magnet for opposition niggle and fan abuse this season, particularly in the latter stages of the year after jumper punching Alex Rance, and being reported for booting Western Bulldog Luke Dahlhaus in the face while reeling in a handball.
And while he's missed four matches through suspension, Greene's misdemeanours haven't affected his on-field performance and his 41 goals in 16 games is easily his most efficient season to date.
Adelaide's defenders and their vocal supporters are expected to throw plenty of aggression Greene's way, but Tomlinson said that would be unwise.
"If I'm in the crowd, I'm the opposition, I'm not going to poke and prod Toby Greene because if anything it just revs him up even more and he plays even better," Tomlinson said.
"Tobes is tremendous with the way he handles himself on and off the field, and the way he's able to turn some heckling into motivation. A lot of the other boys might consume them but Toby's been great with the way he's gone about his year.
"Against the Bulldogs he was able to take a massive mark after being reported.
"Things maybe haven't gone his way but you just can't commend him enough about how he's been able to come back and play some really great footy."
Greene copped two weeks for striking Caleb Daniel in the mouth in round six, but has long maintained he was attempting a spoil.
He was pushed over the edge in round 18 against Richmond after Rance knocked Steve Johnson to the ground, with Greene running over and dishing out a retaliation that earned him another fortnight on the sidelines.
Greene's response on that occasion demonstrated the siege mentality the club formed in its early years where it managed just three wins in its first two years at AFL level.
"You take extra care of your mates, you've been through everything, you see someone getting into one of your mates and the first urge you have is go over there and stick up for them," Tomlinson said.
"That culture that the club's built on is massive for us. We do have extra care and it is special what we've got up here.
"It was tough early but we were forced to stick together, and that's what made us so close."
The Giants land in Adelaide on Wednesday afternoon, desperate to overturn the 56-point thumping they suffered against the Crows in round one.
They suffered a similar fate in the final round this year, beaten away against Geelong by 44 points.
"It's not the way you want to finish off the season heading into a finals series but what an opportunity it is to go to Adelaide and play against Adelaide on a Thursday night in front of what's going to be a packed house," Tomlinson said.
"We're going to be the underdogs, there's going to be a lot of Adelaide Crows supporters and it's a perfect chance for us to prove and show that we can take it up to the teams at their home ground, despite what's gone on in the last 23 rounds of football. It wasn't a great way we started the season and finished it."
Meanwhile, the Giants have received a timely boost on the eve of their second finals campaign with forward Daniel Lloyd and ruckman Dawson Simpson re-signing with the club.
Lloyd has inked a two-year extension that keeps him in charcoal and orange until the end of 2019, while Simpson has committed himself for another season.
