Andrew Gaff, Andrew Brayshaw played golf days before punch
Andrew Gaff and Andrew Brayshaw played golf together just days before the West Coast ace broke the 18-year-old’s jaw.
Just days before Fremantle young gun Andrew Brayshaw had his jaw broken by West Coast star Andrew Gaff, the pair played golf together.
Brayshaw underwent surgery on Sunday night to repair his jaw and three displaced lower teeth, which have been put back into place and splinted. The 18-year-old has been ruled out for the remainder of the AFL season and is now at home recovering with his parents.
The unprovoked punch from Gaff has drawn widespread criticism and the Eagles midfielder is set to be suspended for at least five weeks after being referred directly to the AFL Tribunal.
The strike was graded as “intentional conduct with severe impact to the head” by the AFL’s match review officer.
Only three more rounds remain in the home-and-away season, with the Eagles on track to finish second.
It means West Coast may only have six games remaining in their year — even if they reach the grand final.
But in somewhat of a surprising twist, it has been revealed that Gaff and Brayshaw played a round of golf together last week, along with Hamish Brayshaw, who is a teammate of Gaff at West Coast, and is the older brother of Andrew Brayshaw.
“Five days ago the brothers and Andrew Gaff were on the golf course together,” West Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett said.
“It’s an extraordinary situation that we all find ourselves in at the moment.
“I think it’s a genuine friendship (that Gaff and Andrew Brayshaw have). The kids come through the system all the time, and it wouldn’t surprise you with Hamish at our club that there is a reasonable relationship there.”
Gaff was distraught after unleashing the punch, saying it made him feel sick knowing what he had done.
Nisbett called Brayshaw’s father — AFL Coaches Association president Mark Brayshaw — on Sunday night to pass on Gaff’s apology.
“It wasn’t an easy conversation. Adam (Simpson) has also spoken to Mark,” Nisbett said.
“We’re very grateful that Andrew Brayshaw is in reasonable shape considering what happened, and his parents are accepting of Andrew Gaff’s apology.”
Perth lawyer flags police investigation
In an interview with Channel 7’s Sunrise, Tom Percy QC said he expects WA police to investigate the incident “as a matter of course”, adding he’s seen “people go to jail for less”.
“The community these days expects police to look into these things,” Mr Percy said. “I’m not calling for him to be dealt with by the police, (but) I would expect there will be a police investigation into this.
“I’ve seen them go to jail for instances like this on the football field. It wasn’t that long ago there was a culture where people would say ‘what happens on the footy field, stays there. Let them deal with it by way of a suspension at the tribunal’.
“But that doesn’t happen anymore, the police regularly get involved with these sorts of things, and I would’ve thought if he was an amateur footballer, he’d probably be on remand already.”
Mr Percy, who is a Dockers foundation member, also floated the possibility of a life ban for Gaff.
“It sounds harsh but these days we do it for drugs, there’s an argument to say we should also do it for violence.
“There comes a time where someone might just forfeit their right to play on. But that’s a question for the tribunal and the authorities in due course.”
The reaction
Dockers players were left angered by the third-quarter incident and sought revenge against Gaff during the rest of the match.
Veteran Dockers defender Michael Johnson unleashed a high bump on Gaff that left the Eagles ace dazed. Johnson, who will retire at season’s end and was a late replacement for Joel Hamling, is set to come under scrutiny over the bump.
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon said Brayshaw’s mum was in tears after the match. Brayshaw’s older player Hamish is on West Coast’s list, while the third Brayshaw brother — Angus Brayshaw — is on Melbourne’s list and was left rattled by the incident.
“Obviously ‘Gusy’ is feeling for his younger brother,” Demons captain Nathan Jones told SEN.
“He sort of felt like his hands were tied (being in Melbourne) and he was the lone ranger. I think all his family were over in Perth.
“It’s a bit of a weird situation, with Hamish playing at West Coast, and maybe even being quite close friends with Gaff.” Gaff’s punch is set to reignite debate as to whether the AFL should introduce a red card send-off rule.
Andrew Brayshaw left the ground bleeding from the mouth after an incident involving Andrew Gaff.#AFLEaglesFreo pic.twitter.com/ECZgNqiehg
— AFL (@AFL) August 5, 2018
Jones said he would support the move, believing it would reduce the chances of fights erupting after an ugly incident.
“In this day and age, you don’t want all-in brawls and fights off the back of an issue like that,” Jones said.
” … Ross Lyon mentioned it with how much his senior players fired up and I think it can just boil over into something bigger than what the game wants.” Stand-in Dockers skipper David Mundy said the players were sending Brayshaw their best wishes.
“I just hope Andrew’s OK and his family are well supported by the club,” he told 6PR.
“My immediate gut reaction and emotion is care for Andrew and his family.”
Gaff unleashed the off-the-ball punch with a swinging left fist in the third quarter of the 21.16 (142) to 13.6 (84) win after Brayshaw blocked his run. Brayshaw dropped to the turf and lay there for an extended period, with blood pouring out of his mouth and his lip horribly cut.
The 18-year-old kept his mouthguard in, fearing that some of his teeth had been knocked loose by the punch.
Gaff appeared to be crying after making his way to the bench late in the third quarter, with coach Adam Simpson coming down to comfort him. The midfielder returned to the field in the fourth quarter, and continued to be targeted by Dockers players seeking revenge.
Gaff was able to play out the match, and was mobbed by his teammates after kicking a final-quarter goal in front of 57,375 fans.
Eagles goalsneak Liam Ryan could be in strife for a high bump on Lachie Neale.
Numerous other spotfires broke out in the second half, with the match to be remembered as the most spiteful clash between the two archrivals since the demolition derby in round 21, 2000.
Eagles midfielder Elliot Yeo won the Glendinning-Allan medal as best afield for his 26-disposal, two-goal effort.
Gaff apologised for the punch on television.
“I just want to apologise to Andy. I feel sick. I feel sick about it,” he told Fox Footy’s The Bounce.
“I did the wrong thing and I’d like to think it doesn’t indicate my character. My main thought is how he is. I’m very remorseful and feel sick about it. What will happen will happen.
“My only thought is how Andy is. It is what it is and what will happen will happen.”
Gaff’s punch on Brayshaw overshadowed another impressive performance by the Eagles.
West Coast (14-5) are six competition points clear of third-placed GWS, and eight points clear of five other sides.
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon said he was distressed by the incident.
“Andrew Brayshaw was king-hit 100m off the ball,” 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. It’s not very palatable.
“He was pretty distraught. I gave him a hug. I wouldn’t like to see my son like that.
“My senior players certainly wanted retribution and I had to stay out on the ground longer at three-quarter time to settle a couple down.”
West Coast coach Adam Simpson said the incident was out of character for Gaff.
“One thing I know is that Andrew’s character and who he is as a person and a player can’t be questioned,” Simpson said.
“As much as it is going to look as though it was intentional, I’m not really sure it was.”
With AAP
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