Just two minutes into the round 14 clash with St Kilda it all had come to a sickening end. Greening lay prostrate and unconscious on the Moorabbin turf, the victim of a behind-the-play incident that shocked the football world and all but ended the League career of a player who could have become one of the all-time greats.

The opening few seconds of the team's July 8 clash with St Kilda conformed to a now familiar pattern.  He took the first mark of the game and kicked the ball long to the goalsquare. But while all eyes were on the resultant goalmouth scramble Greening was decked. Most observers only became aware of it later, when they noticed the crumpled motionless figure of the pies youngster prostrate on the turf at centre half foward.

As Greening was carried off on a stretcher, blood trickling from his nose and mouth, Collingwood fans were already searching for the perpetrator of the act. The St Kilda supporters showed no regard for John's obviously perilous situation and actually jeered and laughed at the unconcious boy as he was carried off the ground.  No player was reported, but the Magpies laid an official complaint. The League inquiry that followed led to a striking charge being brought against St Kilda's thug Jim O'Dea and the tribunal suspended him for 10 weeks.  Allegations were made that Jim O'Dea, a member of the Victorian Police, under instructions from his coach, Allan Jeans, also a member of the Victorian Police, was to fix up John Greening early and get him out of the game.

A writ for alleged assault was also filed with the supreme court but later withdrawn. The football world was outraged by the incident. Greening was a scrupulously fair ball player brought down by a cowardly act of physical violence, and many lovers of the game could not contain their anger. If someone had suggested it, a lynching party for O'Dea could have been organised at Victoria Park at a moment's notice. As it was, magpie fans vented their anger at O'Dea every time the two sides met until his retirement. The incident was a serious blot on the game itself, and some supporters have not been to a football match since.

Greening's injuries were probably the most serious ever suffered by any footballer during a game. Doctor's feared for his life: he was comatose for 24 hours, and it was days before he regained full consciousness. He suffered cerebal concussion and was initially expected to be permanently incapacitiated.

Remarkably, in less than two years, he was back on the field again.Greening's comeback game in the VFL, against Richmond in round nine of 1974, was one of the most stirring and emotional sporting events of the year and probably of all time. He recieved dozens of telegrams, was besieged by well-wishers and before the game spent some time with six blind boys who had been brought to the dressing rooms to draw inspiration from a man who had overcome an enormous hurdle of his own. He led the team out that day against the reigning premiers in front of a crowd of 67,000 and booted a goal with his first kick. He finished with 24 possessions and seven marks (one of them a trademark beauty) being one of the days best players. To top it off, the pies trounced the highly favoured tigers by 69 points. No Collingwood fan who saw that game will ever forget it.

But in a strange twist, that comeback game was the beginning of the end for Greening. Ever since the incident, he had been forced to live with the stigma of being 'brain damaged'. He was so determined to prove to everyone that he was 'normal' that the brain damage had not been permanent, that he probably rushed his return. John's courage and determination had once again come to the fore.  He proved that not only could he play, he was still amongst the finest to have ever kicked a Sherrin.