AFL legend Leigh Matthews has renewed his call for a send-off rule re-think after Andrew Gaff’s off-the-ball “assault”, but stopped short of suggesting the West Coast midfielder should face criminal charges.
Matthews, the only player in VFL-AFL history to face police action for a hit on Geelong’s Neville Bruns in 1985, said Gaff’s blow to Fremantle youngster Andrew Brayshaw deserves a “significant suspension” of six to seven weeks.
But the Hawthorn great believes there is “no need” to involve police despite acknowledging the situations are similar.
“(In) footy back then … you’re almost putting yourself into a war without weapons,” Matthews told Macquarie Sports Radio on Monday.
“But 30 years later I think to myself … the option should be available because you’re not outside the law of the land.”
On top of the VFL de-registering him for four matches, Matthews was fined $1000 and convicted of assault before it was later overturned on appeal.
“There was vision of it … so I pleaded guilty because I thought, ‘how can you plead not guilty to something that’s clearly there in sort of technicolour’,” he said.
The four-time premiership coach with Collingwood and Brisbane believes a red card would have been a more appropriate punishment for Gaff.
“This is the (second) incident this year … where the send-off rule should have applied,” Matthews said, noting GWS forward Jeremy Cameron’s stray elbow on Brisbane’s Harris Andrews in round 14.
“I hope the AFL, behind the scenes, are asking themselves the question.
“Brayshaw’s lost to Fremantle, therefore Gaff should be lost to the Eagles.”
Matthews also floated the idea of replays being used in the future to help umpires decide if an incident is a clear-cut send-off.
“We need to upgrade the video reviewing official,” he said.
“The field umpire wouldn’t have even seen this incident, so they don’t even know about it.”
Brayshaw has been ruled out for the remainder of the season and will not be able to eat solids for the next four weeks after undergoing surgery for a broken jaw and three displaced teeth on Sunday night.
But Matthews said Gaff would likely sustain greater long-term damage than the victim.
“The guilt and the shame will live with Andrew Gaff for the rest of his life,” he said.
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