Calls for criminal charges over Andrew Gaff's 'cowardly assault'

Yahoo Sport Australia

5 August 2018 at 5:10 pm

A high-profile lawyer has flagged the prospect of criminal charges after West Coast star Andrew Gaff broke Andrew Brayshaw’s jaw with a shocking ‘king hit’.

Dockers youngster Brayshaw was due to undergo surgery on Sunday night after having his jaw broken, lip cut, and four teeth displaced.

Gaff will be sent straight to the AFL tribunal for the off-the-ball punch, which was unprovoked and has been widely condemned on social media.

But the AFL tribunal might not be Gaff’s only worry.

Prominent Perth lawyer and Fremantle Dockers foundation member Tom Percy says there appears to be enough evidence for a criminal investigation.

Andrew Brayshaw of the Dockers leaves the field with a suspected broken jaw from contact with Andrew Gaff of the Eagles during the round 20 AFL match between the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers at Optus Stadium on August 5, 2018 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Mr Percy also said Gaff should get a life ban from the AFL, describing the punch as a “cowardly assault”.

“Andrew Gaff? What can you say?” Percy wrote on Facebook shortly after the game. “He doesn’t deserve to play AFL again. Ever. (There is) a prima facie case for a police investigation. I’ve had people go to jail for less.”

“Why would a football score be more important than the health and wellbeing of an innocent young man who is in hospital as a result of a cowardly assault he didn’t provoke,” Mr Percy said.

And it wouldn’t be the first time criminal charges have been laid for an incident on the AFL field.

Hawthorn great Leigh Matthews was charged with greivous bodily harm for punching Geelong’s Neville Bruns in 1985.

He was fined $1000 and de-registered for four weeks by the sport’s governing body.

As bad as Barry Hall?

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon said he was distressed by the “king hit”, and referred to Barry Hall’s seven-week ban for a punch on Brent Staker in 2008 as a precedent for what the tribunal might hand down.

Melbourne’s Tom Bugg copped a six-match suspension last year for striking Sydney’s Callum Mills in similar fashion to Gaff’s punch.

But Mills wasn’t seriously hurt, and was able to play the next week.

In contrast, 18-year-old Brayshaw will miss the rest of the season.

Gaff apologised for his actions after the match, saying he did the wrong thing and it made him feel sick.

Andrew Gaff of the Eagles looks on during the 2018 AFL round 20 match between the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers at Optus Stadium on August 05, 2018 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)

But his remorse won’t save him from a lengthy ban.

If Gaff cops a seven-week ban, it means his season will be over – even if West Coast reach the grand final.

A six-week ban would free him to play in the grand final – but only if the Eagles lose in the first week of finals.

Gaff becomes a restricted free agent at season’s end, meaning he may have played his last game for West Coast.

AFL match review officer Michael Christian will have a busy time reviewing the fiery western derby, which the Eagles won by 58 points to take a stranglehold on second spot.

Fremantle veteran Michael Johnson could be suspended for his high hip-and-shoulder to the head that left Gaff dazed.

And Eagles goalsneak Liam Ryan could be in trouble for his high bump on Lachie Neale after the Docker had disposed of the ball.

A host of other Eagles and Dockers players will also cop fines for their involvement in the fiery melees that marred the second half.

In other games, North Melbourne’s Ben Cunnington landed a body blow on Dayne Beams that will get looked at, as did Essendon’s Cale Hooker on Hawthorn’s Ryan Schoenmakers.

with AAP