As the Dockers broke from the three-quarter time huddle, Ross Lyon gave the last word to Hayden Ballantyne: “Sweep the leg”, or something to that effect, you’d imagine.
But unlike young Johnny Lawrence, horrified by Sensei Kreese’s cold-blooded request to take out Daniel-san, Ballantyne was more than happy to go hunting. He did, from the opening bounce, awkwardly but not without a lack of at least some force, collapsing himself onto Andrew Gaff’s back.
It was the first moment in a final quarter of football where kicks and handballs and goals suddenly became meaningless and the only interesting thing taking place on the field was retribution.
The Dockers never entirely found it – the appetite for violence was satisfied with quality entrees but never a proper main course – although Michael Johnson got in a good one, and Stephen Hill hit Gaff flush too. But it wasn’t the ’80s, as Adam Simpson said, or even the ’90s, and when it became clear that Gaff was going to escape in one piece, the theatre became more subtle.
How do you behave after you’ve done a horrible thing and the consequences immediately become clear to you? How do you process it all, especially when you still have to go through the motions of worrying about stoppage positioning and defensive structures against the Fremantle Dockers?
Andrew Gaff of the Eagles. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Immediately after he broke Andrew Brayshaw’s jaw, Gaff was a zombie. You could tell, watching him daze through the remainder of the third quarter, that he realised what he had done and what the repercussions would be.
On the field, and then on the bench, you could see Gaff feeling it all. His eyes were flickering, blinking uncontrollably, his face twitching. He still had to play football, though, or at least pretend to. The start of the last quarter was as compelling as anything that happened in the best round of football of the year, for reasons that had nothing to do with football.
Those first ten minutes were about justice. A chance for the Fremantle players to get payback, and for Gaff, who kept on putting his head over the ball and hunting it despite knowing what was coming every time, an odd but fitting way to start his sentence.
The action slowly dissipated, the stage for human drama removed, giving way to what we assumed would be on tap – Nathan Vardy kicking goals from the goal-square, Brandon Matera grubbing kicks to Jeremy McGovern, Matthew Taberner’s continued struggle to become meaningful, and the other joys of irrelevant football.
Gaff got back to playing. The shock wore off, all the stages of grief passed through and, in an accepting sort of fashion, he got back to just doing all the things that have made him West Coast’s best player this year. He ran tirelessly, won the ball on the inside and spread with it on the outside, hit targets lace out, connected handball chains, set up goals and finished one himself.
Andrew Brayshaw after the incident (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Media/Getty Images)
All that’s gone now, of course, along with Brayshaw’s three teeth. West Coast aren’t exactly finished, because they’re still in the driver’s seat for second. Even without Gaff and Nic Naitanui, the Eagles are formidable at home. But they’ve gone from being Richmond’s primary challenger, to just another name in the pack of challengers.
By the siren on Sunday, Gaff seemed to have come to terms with what he’d done, recognising and accepting it as horrific. He will have to keep coming to terms with it for the rest of his career.
edward sullivan
Guest
If you eliminate the jumper punching and the unnecessary thump to the backs of opponents when they make a clanger or miss a goal and you will eliminate the king-hits behind play. Yes bring in the red card. Off to the sin bin.
User
Roar Rookie
Emotional time yes, awkward no And it might seem odd to you but the responses of the family patriarch hold more weight than those of a son in their early twenties.
anon
Roar Pro
It's an awkward situation for the father. If he didn't have a son at West Coast I'd be really disappointed in my father as a son. The brother playing for Melbourne is probably the only one in the family with the guts to tell it how it is.
User
Roar Rookie
We'll anon if at over 50 you are still lacking life experience voicing things in the manner of a early 20s as you seem to be implying mark brayshaw would be in Private then again that is leaving me very concerned at your naievity and lack of maturing as you've grown older.
Nigel Dias
Guest
Okay Jay Croucher he has done copped his whack is going to sever is suspension, what he did was wrong, Adam SImpson has acknowledged it, Gaff has acknowledged it. The media coverage Gaff is getting is worse than murders. What else do you want for him? Life in prison? Public Lashing.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
I rest my case, Snide. You illustrate my point to perfection. Snide, the paragon of virtue! Trolling to 'correct' everyone who doesn't meet his standards. Sad, dude.
User
Roar Rookie
His comment about missing 3 weeks was about his son, which as Freo only have three matches remaining I am hoping you can figure out the correlation.
Postman
Guest
Spot on
anon
Roar Pro
I think point number 2 is closest to the truth. The brother who plays for Melbourne expressed how they all would be feeling behind closed doors. It's not just the AFL but football clubs who will throw you under the bus if you are "difficult" in any way. He doesn't want to mess with the futures of his 3 sons. They've invested their lives into footy at the expense of uni or a trade, so have nothing to fall back on. Do well at footy and you pretty much set yourself up for life. The father's mentality is you can't change what's happened, but he'd be seething behind closed doors (especially the mother who already had trouble watching her sons play).
Aligee
Roar Rookie
FWIW i think Mark Brayshaw has come to the conclusions he has for a couple of reasons, the first being he is seemingly a good Dad and a good bloke, who sees that this could just as easily have been his kid who lashed out. Secondly, you never bite the hand that feeds you, get the AFL offside and you will be steamrolled by the AFL media, start looking at legal action and all three boys could find themselves inside a couple of years looking for jobs. Take a conciliatory line and tone and some of those boys could have jobs for the next 20/30 years in the industry. Very wise decision.
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
Howdedo Ben. i guess you're from the outer reaches of the AFLverse by your moniker,but just to clarify,Dalgety and Anon are two denizens of this place who are never wrong;that's what's entertaining.about them. And what's more they seem oblivious to suggestions that they might be guilty of ad hominem attacks,arguing the particular from the general and other wonky logic Macca and RickD are occasionally wrong,Rick especially about truffles, and admit it.Don Freo is often wrong and sometimes admits it. Paul D the first comes on here for his own amusement and constructs really neat circular arguments which makes it hard for him to be wrong.
User
Roar Rookie
Well I'm sure they're glad you aren't there son. Anon you remind me of FW Declerk, I must ask was Mandela a terrorist? Sleep easy kid and remember fw can mean something that is very easy to think you are ?
Downsey
Guest
I feel confident, but if it doesn't go to plan there may a Lyon reckoning.
anon
Roar Pro
WHITE LINE fever hehehe
Razzar
Guest
DC, “ it’s a physical and competitive game”. Not all over the ground and away from the play it shouldn’t. AFL is played hard and attacking around the ball. Your comment is flippant and poorly thought through. Players on the fringe are preparing to engage in future play; they should not be subject to any actions by an opponent until they reach the contest, which is normally around 5 metres. ?
Chancho
Roar Rookie
this is ultimately what got me, his reaction was so over the top, even if he was aiming to hit him in the chest. Whether he had been tagged all game or there was that bit of niggle just prior to the incident, this is the way a guy with nigh in 200-games under his belt reacts to an 18-year old first year player, while they are 50 points in front
Aligee
Roar Rookie
Not only that, how long do you think his sons would last on AFL lists should he start seeking legal action ?. He plays it smart all his boys end up millionaires and set themselves up for life. Remember the AVERAGE players wage in the AFL is 317,000.
christos sintos
Guest
the victim's father is also the father of a WCE player...his position is away more complicated and he has to be more diplomatic than (I guess) he would otherwise be
Joe B
Guest
My team, Freo, is not in the race. Secondly, West Coast, is in a good position to make it to the GF, even without Gaff. By your own reasoning, Gaff, indeed anyone, should have a more lenient sentence if a GF is at stake. Ergo, a penalty including a GF is tougher. You seem to agree with me re striking in the abdomen should be punished, as it is grossly overlooked. Once again, rules prohibit striking... so all striking off the ball could technically/potentially result in criminal charges. Yeah... I have clearly made a statement about prison sentences. Seriously? You made it across the grand canyon with that leap. Well done.
User
Roar Rookie
Thinking lecca could be a great substitute wing much like heady in 92 when Neville (give him a year) Bruns severely broke mainies ankle with a deliberate kick in the gf.