Monday Morning AFL Podcast: Will we see Andrew Gaff in Eagles colours again?

Had a listen. Both spoke well. I enjoy podcasts with a few presenters plus guests. I lose a little focus after 25 minutes or so of the same two voices.

Geez I'm glad you got it Richie; the outrage brigade were winding up there...

Why didn't Matthews get 8 + weeks for his hit on Bruns? Because they wanted him to play finals. Why did Harry Collier get the 17 remaining matches of the 1938 season? Because they wanted the Blues to wion the flag! Now, as decent sports lovers these injustices have to be dealt with once and for all. How about an AFL Criminal/Tribunal Code? Offences need to be described, itemised and given minimum sentences. Then, where the offence is deemed aggravated and putting the game into disrepute....Season long suspensions! End of story. All thugs need to be admonished and dealt with like hardened criminals and/or convicts! Most of these guys have the brain of a two-year-old and ought to be sanctioned accordingly. Now, if the AFL wants to improve the game they should start with these hooligans first then worry about the rules! P.S. Give them remedial classes in English and Sporting Conduct as they are naughty school boys that want to be spanked and treated like juveniles!

Brilliant post, dkmaf.

Yes, rewatch it. Watch Brayshaw go down like a sack of bricks. Watch "clearly horrified" Gaff just run off without another thought. Watch Gaff's teammates gather around him and give him a goal celebration like none other all game. Watch Gaff supporters post pictures of straws, captioned with the comment that they're for Brayshaw LOL. Watch Gaff supporters (including more than a few "I am not a supporter of either Freo or WCE" Gaff supporters) poor out of the woodwork to find ways to diminish the incident and Gaff's culpability. Watch people literally add insult to injury by accusing Bradshaw (it's most definitely intended as an accusation) of being a tagger (intended in the most derogatory sense possible) because they've already decided that the attack can only have been provoked by excessive tagging, and so "therefore" Bradshaw was tagging Gaff. Watch people coming out to declare that they don't condone the act, that it's inexcusable... but watch them then list any number of reasons why that it's not as bad as all that. If you really don't condone it, if you really genuinely believe that "the frequent occurrence of these punches still needs cleaning up", then maybe a good way to kick start the clean up is to stop finding ways to "explain" them. If we genuinely believe that there's no excuse, then how about we stop listing excuses. For these hits to be taken as inexcusable, I for one believe it should be enough to say simply "there's no excuse" and hold to that. But if people really must use an incident like this one to turn the focus on "blight" of tagging, let's at least have the decency to wait until the victim is out of the hospital before we start producing arguments that, regardless of our intentions to the contrary, will only serve to exculpate the perpetrator.

Forgot about this one. Terry Daniher got 12 weeks for smashing Gavin Brown in the 1990 GF. I can't remember it he got extra weeks as it was a GF? Strange really that in later years Lockett only got 8 for his hit on Caven and Hall 7 on Staker. Anyway, will the AFL make a statement and whack a 12 on him? I reckon they'll go 8.

Dear, dear Glenn perhaps you should you should line your ducks before cracking at the crowd. It has been confirmed that the incident in question was not replayed on the oval screen, I would say that the majority of the crowd would not have seen the incident, so let it go mate. I don't condone the action of AG, however replaying the incident over and over I'm sure AG never intended to hurt young Brayshaw. Unfortunately he moved forward and crouched as the round arm came ( I believe to contact his chest/arm)..the stars aligned on this one and the damage done. 175 games and never indited for anything....yet here we are? Ok he does the time but don't crucify Gaff's character or the fans fella!

Find that had to believe. Would have to of been a look away punch for that to be possible..too had to tell from the available footage. Much more likely it was just a brain snap that Gaff will no doubt pay dearly for.

Reckon he’s got a fair old holiday coming up - wouldn’t be surprised with 8+ weeks.

As a union supporter I am puzzled how any off the ball violence is even condoned in a workplace

@ Jon Boy 6.35 pm What reasons did Perth Lawyer give for saying . " he does not think the Police need to be involved" . " the Tribunal needs to be tougher his opinion 12-15 weeks". If this assault happened in the street, the assailant would be prosecuted by the Police.

It was an ugly act and am sure it will be dealt with.

Statement to be be made by the AFL for behind the play incidents 10-12 weeks!

Christo, many players react quite nastily to the niggling and holding but are fortunate enough to miss on most occasions. Some don't and get into bad trouble. I would prefer it if the AFL stamped out all this holding and nasty bumping away from the ball. Could be done by enforcing current rules where it is a free kick for holding, a free kick for shepherding or bumpiung when the ball is more that 5 meters away etc. Umpires not enforcing the rules helps to create powder keg emotions that cause the violent reaction from Gaff, Cameron, and Bugg. Added to that, why wasn't Johnson suspended for his hit on Gaff. It was deliberate, high impact and head high - knocked Gaff senseless for awhile. His grading and fine by Christian was a joke.

@ David G Well said.

I agree with your assessment Rick. From the footage I don't think Gaff was trying to strike Brayshaw in the face, but he did, and it was nasty. As clean a record as Gaff has, and as nice a guy as he is, he should be punished severly - 7-8 weeks. Missing the finals doubles the impact as many footballers never ever get that chance, and Gaff has lost his chance this year. The Eagles also get penalized severly as if you look at the coaches votes, Gaff is the Eagles best player. All the Eagles team are also punished for Gaff's action and in the long run it could be very uncomfortable for him to stay at the club as some Eagles players and supporters could blame him for a finals failure. Furthermore you have Brayshaw's brother at the Eagles and family emotions could spill over, even though they had been great friends. Get him out of the city, trade him to the East, and let everyone get a fresh start!

In response to the article title. 12 weeks

I am not a supporter of either Freo or WCE. Slow down the replay....... I believe Gaff went to punch Brayshaw in the upper chest, as high as he could without head high (which is a blight on the game itself...... a tactic commonly used but when it goes wrong it can go seriously wrong). Watch Brayshaw knees bend and drop quickly and his head end up below Gaffs shoulder height when struck. It has to be the only benexplanation to the normally benign approach of Gaff. He was clearly horrified at the end result, which is a disaster, but clearly didn’t intend to hit him in the head. As I said though, the frequent occurrence of these punches still needs cleaning up.

A dog that has been placid, nice and friendly all its life but out-of-the-blue attacks a person is put down because it is dangerous and unpredictable. Andre Gaff is a person and of course I don’t advocate euthanising him. However, I think he has forfeited his right to play AFL because he is dangerous and unpredictable. And yes, criminal assault charges must be laid, and the court sets the penalty – not the AFL. I feel sad for Andrew Gaff, but I believe there are higher matters at stake. Give him counselling but don’t give him the right to put someone at risk the next time he snaps. And how about a victim and victim’s family impact statement. The Eagles need more Hurn’s and less Gaff’s. And will the WC Eagles Club apologise for their fans giving a standing ovation to a disgusting thug who has permanently affected the life of a young man? If they have integrity and want respect, they’d better! I think Brayshaw’s Mum and Dad and brother would want that .

I've also played senior league, union and AFL and your comment is moronic. In none of those sports is it acceptable to punch someone in the jaw. To suggest he just "threw his arm out" is BS. He deliberately closed his fist and swung with force at Brayshaws head. Enough is enough. This rubbish has to stop.