Brayshaw in ‘a real mess’ after Gaff ‘king hit’, says Dockers coach
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has spoken of distressing scenes in the Dockers rooms after the Western Derby following what he termed a 'king hit' by West Coast star Andrew Gaff on Freo's Andrew Brayshaw.
A spiteful Western Derby spilled over in the third quarter after Gaff's big swing at Fremantle first-year player Brayshaw, as spectators watched the most fiery contest between the two sides since the infamous "Demolition Derby" back in 2000, that saw four players suspended for a total of 15 matches.
"Andrew Brayshaw was king hit 100 metres off the ball, he's got a fractured jaw and four displaced teeth that are caved in, he's going into surgery tonight," Lyon told the media after the game.
"I've got an 18-year-old kid that I've seen in a real mess when I came down to the room … and his mum in tears as I walked in. It's not very palatable.
"It's very distressing, my senior players certainly wanted retribution and I had to stay out on the ground longer at three-quarter time to settle a couple of them down and say don't bring yourself into disrepute.
"Andrew [Gaff] is unlikely to play again this year, there's certainly a precedent set. I think Barry Hall got seven."
Hall received the suspension in 2008 after he was reported for striking West Coast defender Brent Staker with a punch to the jaw, knocking him out.
"He [Brayshaw] was pretty distraught, I gave him a hug. It's hard to keep the emotion back yourself, I could see his mum there," Lyon said.
"It's a tough enough business as it is, pretty significant moment … our number two pick and he won't play again this year I wouldn't have thought."
In a game where the Eagles came close to clinching top-two status for the finals with a 58-point victory, Gaff's stunning decision to throw the punch leaves his own season in doubt and makes West Coast's campaign for the flag much more difficult.
The Eagles midfielder was third favourite for the Brownlow Medal behind Hawthorn's Tom Mitchell before the game began.
But his chances of winning the best and fairest went out the window after the incident in the third quarter.
West Coast coach Adam Simpson spoke of Gaff's remorse and distress for having punched Brayshaw when he faced reporters post-match.
"It's not in my position to comment, all I know is Andrew is quite upset obviously, he's thinking about Brayshaw and his family," Simpson told the media after the game.
"As much as its going to look like it was intentional I'm not quite sure it was, but we will work through it, [it] will be reasonably big news."
Simpson said Gaff was "very remorseful" and that his thoughts were with the Brayshaw family.
"Andrew's character and who he is as a person and as a player can't be questioned so we're working through it … what will be will be in the next few days," the coach said.
Gaff was brought to the bench soon after the incident, as he became a focal point for retaliation from frustrated Fremantle players.
"He [was] rattled [on the bench], he was in a bit of shock, I suppose I was just trying to put my arm around him, its unfortunate but we've got to deal with it."
Eagles captain Shannon Hurn had told Grandstand at full-time that the team was behind Gaff but had not seen the incident.
"The game goes so fast, I haven't seen it … it's one of those things you've got to make sure you're playing team footy and support everyone, that's what we always aim to do sometimes that is physically and sometimes that is emotionally," Hurn said.
Gaff is almost certain to be referred straight to the tribunal for the incident — with three rounds left in the home and away season plus a minimum of three games to get to the grand final.
External Link: Barry Hall's punch on Brent Staker
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