Andrew Gaff apologises for brutal punch that left Docker Andrew Brayshaw with a broken jaw

ANDREW Gaff played golf with brothers Andrew and Hamish Brayshaw just days before throwing a wild punch that broke the young Docker’s jaw and sparked fierce debate about a send-off rule and possible police action.

WEST Coast chairman Trevor Nisbett says he still can’t believe one of the AFL’s cleanest players Andrew Gaff punched Andrew Brayshaw — a friend off the field.

As expected, Gaff has been referred directly to the AFL tribunal, where on Tuesday night he will likely receive a hefty suspension.

“I think five days ago the (Brayshaw) brothers and Andrew Gaff were on the golf course together so it’s an extraordinary situation we all find ourselves in,” he said at a media conference in Perth.

Gaff has apologised for his ugly and brutal punch to the face of young Docker Brayshaw.

Gaff connected with Brayshaw’s face in the third term of the local derby in Perth in an incident reminiscent of footy’s wild days in the 1970s.

A Fremantle doctor helps Andrew Brayshaw after he was struck by Andrew Gaff. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Media

Brayshaw was taken to hospital after suffering a broken jaw and four displaced teeth.

On Monday morning the Dockers provided an update on Brayshaw’s condition.

“Andrew Brayshaw had surgery overnight to repair his broken jaw and three displaced lower teeth, which have been put back into place and splinted,” a club statement said.

“Club medical staff have advised that the surgery went well and Brayshaw is now recovering at home with his parents. He cannot eat solid food for four weeks and will not play again this season.”

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Brayshaw’s brother Hamish is on the Eagles list and one of Gaff’s closest friends. A third brother Angus plays at Melbourne while father Mark is a former North Melbourne player and head of the AFL Coaches Association.

Mark has flown to Perth to be with his son, who had surgery last night to repair a fractured jaw and three smashed teeth.

Hamish and Andrew Brayshaw. Picture: David Smith

Nisbett said the Eagles’ QC was talking to Gaff to figure out how and why yesterday’s shocking events unfolded.

“It may not have been intentional but we’ll have to get that from Andrew. It’s totally out of character when a player who has never been reported at any level, through juniors, through all his senior 174 games, and it just came out of the blue.

“As disappointed as we are with Andrew it just seemed extraordinary that it happened.

“I spoke to Andrew Gaff last night and he was beside himself with what happened. I think people saw the remorse he had, but it doesn’t exonerate him and he has to take responsibility — which he’s taken, but he’s taking it pretty tough.”

Nisbett said he had spoken to Mark Brayshaw to apologise on behalf of the club.

“I’ve known Mark for a number of years and it wasn’t an easy conversation.

“Mark understands the club, he played footy with Adam Simpson and Hamish plays here.

“Both kids are great kids, they’re trying to forge their careers at the two clubs in town so consequently you just have to deal with both players as individuals, however this is quite an unusual circumstance.

“We are very grateful Andrew Brayshaw is in reasonable shape considering what happened and the parents are accepting of Andrew Gaff’s apology.”

Nisbett said he had not been advised of any possible criminal charges after AFL legend Leigh Matthews said the police should have the option of getting involved and backed the introduction of a red card system.

“Clearly now, I’m not saying the police should (pursue it) but the option should be available, because you’re not outside the law of the land,” Matthews told Macquarie Sports Radio.

“Andrew Gaff is going to be the one that’s going to be mortally wounded for the rest of his life. The guilt and the shame will live with Andrew Gaff for the rest of his life.”

“This is the third incident this year in a couple of months where the send-off rule should have applied.”

Matthews infamously broke Neville Bruns’ jaw in an off-the-ball incident and was charged by Victoria Police, initially convicted and fined $1000 but the conviction was overturned on appeal and he was granted a 12-month good behaviour bond.

A Perth QC said the punch was worthy of a criminal investigation.

“He doesn’t deserve to play AFL again. Ever. (There is) a prima facie case for a police investigation. I’ve had people go to jail for less,” prominent lawyer and Dockers foundation member Tom Percy wrote on Facebook.

The West Australian reported Percy said: “Why would a football score be more important than the health and wellbeing of an innocent young man who is in hospital as a result of a cowardly assault he didn’t provoke?”

Police today confirmed the force had not ruled out criminal action against Gaff in the wake of the sickening attack.

Western Australia Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said the AFL had its own processes in place to address the incident but police action was also possible.

“We will make an assessment on this incident as we would with other matters of public interest, and we would encourage any parties directly connected and concerned with this

matter to contact WA Police Force,” he said.

West Coast coach Adam Simpson and Andrew Gaff.

Responding to Herald Sun questions about the incident during yesterday’s AFL match between West Coast Eagles and the Dockers at Optus Stadium, he said: “No one likes to see hits like that in competitive sport. It is rare for police to lay criminal charges as a result of an incident in a professional competitive sporting event.

“Physical contact on the footy field is expected.

“The central issue here is what should be governed by the sporting code and what falls within the criminal realm.”

A clearly shaken Gaff, who has never been reported in a 175-game career, spoke on Fox Footy after the match: “I just want to apologise to Andy. I feel sick. I feel sick about it,” Gaff said.

“I did the wrong thing and I’d like to think it doesn’t indicate my character, although my main thought is how he is.

“I’m very remorseful and I feel sick about it.”

Collingwood premiership captain Tony Shaw said Gaff’s punch was a stain on the game and had changed his mind about a red card being introduced to the AFL.

“This will be shown forever and he’s going to have to wear it,” he said.

“I have been against it (a red card), but I think now we’ve had a few incident this year, like (Tom) Bugg and this one, where we might have to,” he said on 3AW. “It was intentional, it was severe … it was a very ordinary act.”

Melbourne skipper Nathan Jones has also backed a red card for severe acts of on-field violence.

“It’s not like you see that every day like the 1980s, but in particular for an incident like that I think it’s warranted,” Jones told SEN.

“You just see the ramifications post that and obviously Ross Lyon sort of mentioned it, it got his senior players fired up and I think it can just boil over into something bigger than what the game wants, particularly in this day and age.

“You don’t want all-in brawls and fights off the back of an issue like that so I’m for it.”

Tempers flare in the western derby as Fremantle players react to the Gaff hit.

Emotional Dockers coach Ross Lyon said Brayshaw’s mother was in tears in the Fremantle rooms and he expected Gaff to be banned for the rest of the season.

“Andrew Brayshaw was king hit 100m off the ball. He’s got a fractured jaw and four displaced teeth that are caved in and he’ll be undergoing surgery tonight,” Lyon said.

“I’ve got an 18-year-old kid that I saw in a real mess when I came down to the rooms and his mum in tears as I was walking in. So it’s not very palatable.

“It was very distressing. He was pretty distraught. I gave him a hug. It was hard to keep the emotion back yourself when you see his mum. I wouldn’t like to see my son like that.

“It’s a pretty significant moment I would have thought — our No. 2 pick won’t play again this year I wouldn’t have thought.”

It puts the Eagles star’s participation in the finals series in doubt with just three home-and-away rounds to go before September action.

Fremantle champion Matthew Pavlich believes Gaff should cop “at least six” matches for one of the ugliest incidents we have seen on a football field for some time.

When asked to explain exactly what happened, a visibly shattered Gaff told Fox Footy: “It’s hard to say.

“It is what it is. What will happen will happen (with the tribunal).”

Pavlich and St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt have slammed Gaff.

The Eagle was one of the favourites for the Brownlow Medal before the ugly incident.

The Docker was left bleeding heavily from the mouth and lay on the ground for several minutes in the aftermath of the incident.

Not everyone will agree, so save the abuse. But you can't punch someone and break their jaw and escape police scrutiny just because you're wearing a footy jumper. Will be surprised if charges aren't considered #gaff

— Mark Robinson (@Robbo_heraldsun) August 5, 2018

Andrew Gaff has never been suspended in 175 games. Never even been fined for a melee or umpire contact as far as I can see. It’s why it’s so surprising given he wasn’t even being heavily tagged

— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) August 5, 2018

“It would be at least six (weeks), you’d think,” Pavlich said.

“I think everyone is a bit, almost disturbed by it.”

If Gaff cops a suspension in the range of four to five matches, it will jeopardise his ability to feature for the Eagles in this year’s finals series.

If he cops a six-match ban, he’ll need West Coast to lose its first final in order to play again this season should his team reach the Grand Final.

Melbourne’s Tom Bugg copped a six-match ban last year for punching Swan Callum Mills, who played the next week.

“It will all depend on the medical report,” Riewoldt said on Fox Footy.

“It would be in the four to five (week) range you would imagine.

“We’re not in the business of bagging players but that was really ordinary.”

Geelong champion and former AFL match review panellist Jimmy Bartel expects Gaff to get six weeks for clubbing Brayshaw with a “big bear paw” strike.

The Brownlow medallist said Gaff would be afforded one week discount on whatever the AFL Tribunal decides given his exemplary record.

“He’ll get a lot of time and deserves it, (but) I reckon he, I’m just trying to put myself in his head here, he’s like clubbed him, like with the big bear paw sort of thing, I reckon he’s hit him with the inside of his hand, it’s not like a punch,” Bartel told RSN 927.

“He’s gone to do that big swinging action to the top of the chest and he’s got it all wrong.”

Eagles champ Karl Langdon created a storm on social media after saying on Perth radio that Gaff should cop “at least two weeks” for the hit.

He responded to the Twitter outrage by saying he didn’t know the extent of Brayshaw’s injuries when he made his instant analysis.

“If it’s a broken jaw, six weeks. Always outcome based.”

On the SuperFooty podcast the Herald Sun’s Jay Clark said a four-week ban was a fair result.

“I think four is probably fair but Gaff has got to throw himself on the mercy of the tribunal … I think three weeks, that’s the remainder of the home-and-away season, plus one final — that’s a fair suspension.”

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