Born in Menindee, New South Wales, Green was raised in Adelaide and first became prominent in football through his schooling at Saint Peters College in Adelaide and then at Geelong Grammar School.

He threw in his lot with the Norwood Football Club in the SAFA and his play from the start to the end of the 1893 season was a series of brilliant successes.

It was reported that he was remarkably clever, cool, and collected, and his magnificent performances in any department of the game placed him head and shoulders above any other player.

[2] Playing mainly as a rover, Green was a member of Norwood's 1894 premiership side.

In 1935, Green's Magarey Medal mysteriously turned up in a pawnbroker shop and it was bought by a great Norwood benefactor, Ted Heidenreich, who gave it to the club.