Andrew Gaff suspension makes it clear punching on the football field is reprehensible
THE AFL did not miss Andrew Gaff but arguably the league missed the mark on its handling of punches this year. If the league had delivered suspensions he may not have thrown a punch in the first place.
Mark Robinson
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IT WAS an accident always waiting to happen.
The most vilified man in Australia in the past three days, Andrew Gaff, declared tonight he didn’t mean to whack Andrew Brayshaw in the mouth and break his jaw.
He did mean to whack him, but in the chest.
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Gaff’s problem — if you believe him it was an accident — was he went a foot too high with his clenched left fist and, he argued, it wasn’t helped by the lowered body of Brayshaw.
It meant a whack to the chest and a potential $2000 fine from the AFL, which seems to be the standard penalty for punches and elbows these days, became a wrecking-ball upper cut which caved in Brayshaw’s mouth.
The AFL recommended a penalty of eight to 12 weeks — it ended up being eight weeks.
“It is an historically significant penalty, but this is an historically significant offence,’’ the AFL advocate Jeff Gleeson said.
“It was unrestrained in its execution, ferocious in its impact and grave in its consequence. A full-blooded punch.’’
The AFL did not miss Gaff.
At the same time, arguably the AFL has missed the mark on its handling of punches this year.
If it had delivered suspensions and not fines throughout the season, then Gaff may not have thrown a punch in the first place.
That’s not to say Gaff didn’t deserve his penalty: He threw the punch, he created the damage, he hurt his reputation.
Brayshaw wasn’t there tonight.
He was laid up at home sucking nutrients through a straw.
The imagery of such violent action pervaded the AFL’s tribunal room and the consequences of the punch could hardly be ignored by the tribunal members, Ross Howie, Wayne Henwood, David Neitz and Shane Wakelin.
On top of that, Fremantle doctor Ken Withers painted a horrible picture.
He spoke of five dead teeth which could turn black, a displaced jaw bone and a metal brace, evidence which was matter-of-fact but brutal in its delivery.
Despite the action and injuries, the Brayshaw family tonight asked the football community to forgive Gaff.
He also revealed there were plans to have Gaff and Brayshaw meet later this week, or early next week.
As Gaff sat in the witness box, with his dad Paul sitting behind him with his manager Paul Connors, his face was largely expressionless and words heavy with regret.
When asked about his accomplishments through his junior and senior football, he whispered “yes’’ as his answers.
He said he was shattered, devastated and sick and did not want to continue playing in the final quarter.
When he gave his evidence, he appeared to be on the verge of tears.
“I’m devastated,’’ he said.
“I’m shattered. I’ve never been reported or fined before and really it’s been a very, very difficult 48 hours.
“But the main person I feel for is Andrew. It’s something that has really hit me hard.’’
Afterwards, he said it had been the toughest 48 hours of his life.
While Brayshaw’s father Mark tonight asked for everyone to “move on’’, Brayshaw’s brother Angus, who plays for Melbourne, admitted today the footage of the incident had rocked him.
“I can’t believe honestly that’s happened, and people say ‘Oh, he would never do anything like this’, and character references are a thing I know in the tribunal, but the fact of the matter is … he’s squared up to him, as far as I could see, he’s looking at him, and then just absolutely ruined Andrew’s mouth with his fist.
“He’s an 18-year-old kid, and there’s no way Andrew would have done anything to warrant (it).
“I don’t think anyone would warrant a punch in the face like that, but least of all Andrew who’s just the most nice, respectful, kind kid, he’s a first-year player.’’
Gaff departed with his season over and his future clouded.
What’s clear, and emphasised by tribunal chairman Howie, was that punching on the football field was reprehensible.
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Originally published as Andrew Gaff suspension makes it clear punching on the football field is reprehensible
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