Star midfielder Andrew Gaff could miss West Coast’s entire finals campaign after breaking Andrew Brayshaw’s jaw with an unprovoked punch in Sunday’s 58-point win over Fremantle.
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, and was later taken to hospital.
Fremantle later tweeted that Brayshaw’s jaw had been broken.
The incident is set to be directed straight to the AFL tribunal, and it could attract a ban of anywhere from three to seven weeks.
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.
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 eventually picked off by a fierce Michael Johnson bump, leaving the Eagle dazed and confused.
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.
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 arch rivals 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’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.
They take on the Power in Adelaide next Saturday, before facing Melbourne (home) and Brisbane (away).
West Coast defender Will Schofield is set for a stint on the sidelines after injuring his left hamstring in the first quarter.
Jack Darling and Jamie Cripps booted four goals each for the Eagles.
Jed Lanyon
Roar Rookie
Will be interesting to see how many weeks Gaff will miss. It will feel weird if his first game back is a potential West Coast Grand Final... Just wouldn't sit well after that incident.
13th Man
Guest
The punishment should match the result of the punch. As Brayshaw is out for the season and probably would miss all finals series if Freo were going to be in it, so too should Gaff. Gaff should just be grateful he can eat solid foods over the next 4 weeks because Brayshaw can't.
13th Man
Guest
I was at the game and yep you are correct. The West Coast fans were absolutely classless. Cheering Gaff everytime he got the ball, booing Johnno for dishing out some well deserved retribution, laughing at Brayshaw. Yes I'm a passionate fan but I would never cheer one of my teams players if they had comitted a dog act like that, was just really low.
Aligee
Roar Rookie
I would never make an excuse for breaking someones jaw this way, but totally out of character and a few inches east, west or south would have been a nothing incident - but it wasn't, so Gaffe needs to face the consequences. Perhaps young Brayshaw was tagging very closely, perhaps quite frustratingly, perhaps outside the laws of the game. Which brings me to this point, why are players not penalised more for targeting players who miss goals, why are goalkickers not penalised more for targeting the opposition after they kick a goal. Every week you see over the top niggle, sort of like American trash talking, but in footy physical trash talking which is pretty well accepted. Even players who celebrate a holding the ball decision by slamming the bloke around they just tackled. Perhaps if umpires whom i accept have a difficult job as it is, called frees off the ball for what i reckon is just niggle, holding, scragging etc we may see less stupid punches by players like Gaffe. Greg Williams who was suspended a number of times, didn't put up with close tagging or tagging as he saw it outside the laws of the game, if the umpire did not blow his whistle, he did what Gaffe did. That is not to say that in this instance Brayshaw was over the top tagging, but i really cant see any other reason why Gaffe with his sort of record would hit him.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
The AFL tribunal's ruling would be somewhat irrelevant if the WA police decide to make a meaningful statement against coward punches.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I was almost agreeing with you, Graeme, until the 'boot' comment. No stray boot anywhere The crowd definitely went quiet, realizing the implications and shocked that it was Gaff that did it. Brayshaw was playing a beauty and was heading for a Rising Star nomination this game. He won't get one now.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
"his punch was not meant to do the damage it did" How much damage did he think a full blown punch to the mouth from an elite sportsman was going to do? "he soldiered on in the most harrowing of circumstances" Yes, let's all feel for poor hard done by Andrew Gaff. You know, with his season being over, be unable to eat for the next few weeks due to a broken jaw and facing reconstructive surgery on his face. Oh wait, sorry - that's the guy who he punched. My mistake...
Paul D
Roar Guru
Well said. 6 weeks minimum you’d have to think. But I’d go 7 just to make sure he can’t play again this year.
Slane
Guest
The most harrowing of circumstances being shattering an 18 year olds jaw? You gotta really feel for a bloke who decks somebody on the footy field. Scraped knuckles are no laughing matter.
Gordon P Smith
Roar Guru
I wish anon’s comment wasn’t necessary, but his point is well taken. So far I haven’t seen that this makeup of the tribunal has been “starstruck” - five weeks for Cameron was probably about right, especially since Andrews came back in four. And Justif01’s connection to Bugg’s ban is superb: six weeks is probably right. Maybe just “the rest of the season”, to be safe. It was unquestionably more heinous than Cameron’s crime.
Graeme
Guest
J.T. Delacroix - You are not the sharpest if the impression you got was that a good proportion of the WCE crowd got a real kick out of the whole thing. No-one including WCE fans who boo and cheer as if they have passion for the game, likes any player being badly injured, especially in those circumstances, Gaff himself is gutted and very much feels for Brayshaw. I think his action was a reflex reaction to frustration of being tagged and his punch was not meant to do the damage it did. The fact is he did it and needs to cop it sweet, which he will do so. The reason the WCE supporters cheered is because Gaff was genuinely upset and not proud of himself, Simmo had a word and got him out there to finish the job. The Dockers players crunched Gaff and even a boot appeared to contact him while he was on the deck. He was cheered by WCE supporters after he marked and goaled to support him because he soldiered on in the most harrowing of circumstances, that is all. I doubt if any Vic club will sign Gaff now because of their obviously higher morals and the WCE are stuck with Gaff for a long time.
Lew
Guest
I dont know why people cant see it. Gaff is the victim here. Gaff is sorry, he's a good bloke and as Simmo says “ it was just an accident” . No doubt Brayshaw will apologise to Gaff when he’s out of the operating theatre and comes too. Why didnt Barry Hall think of this approach with Staker?
J.T. Delacroix
Guest
Pretty fairly put, anon. The impression I got was that a good proportion of the WCE crowd got a real kick out of the whole thing. Really bloody sad. What’s wrong with these people?
GOB
Guest
Very well said Anon.
anon
Roar Pro
What the AFL needs to do is not allow themselves to get starstruck by a guy 3rd for the Brownlow and playing for a team likely to make a Grand Final. If roles were reversed with Brayshaw breaking Gaff's jaw off the ball with Gaff out for the season and their premiership aspirations severely dented, you could only imagine the reaction from West Coast supporters. I'm a little worried that the AFL will go soft on Gaff because the finals are coming up and the victim is just some first year player. Imagine if someone decided to break Ablett or Dangerfield's jaw behind the play. That player would be suspended for an entire season!
Justif01
Guest
You would have to think that this would have to attract something in the vicinity of the Thomas Bugg six week ban. They gave Jeremy Cameron five matches for the elbow to the head and you could argue that the Gaff punch has more malice to it as it was around 100 metres from general play.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
There should be criminal charges against Gaff