Play Nice Was that Gaffs last game for WC?

[telsor]

question
Given this was off the ball and nowhere in the contest, why doesn't Gaff get an assault charge against him.
If i punched someone at work, i imagine that would be the result for me.

Because there is an exemption for sporting contests.

This goes beyond what the exemption really covers (not that there is a clear definition), but neither the sporting body (in the this case the AFL) nor the courts would be eager to open the door on that can of worms.

 

[hutchy31]

I think it was a dog act and he should get 6-8 weeks minimum.

I also think he’s completely remorseful, it’s out of character and he shouldn’t be strung up for it.

These two things are not mutually exclusive.

It would also be good to see the afl take this as an opportunity to clamp down on all the bullshit, faux tough guy crap that happens in every game. Aggression in the contest is one thing, pushing and shoving and shoulder barging and all that shit is just annoying. Plus it establishes an environment where off the ball physicality is acceptable, which can escalate to real harm to players.

Jumper punch, automatic one week. Pay frees or 50m penalties when players getting tagged are actually being hit repeatedly. If the ball isn’t in your vicinity you can’t hit anyone.

 

[Tyler Hodges]

If that was at a bar, he'd be charged with serious assault.

On a footy field only a suspension.

Strange world we live in.
7-8 weeks for me, that's up there with Barry Hall.

Halls doesn't hold a candle, was a cleaner punch but Staker had no injuries just concussion and missed 1 week.

 

[maxamus]

Two things all you experts out their

Gaff and Brayshaw are good friends so to say this was intentional is a absolute joke.

If Gaff is so dirty, dog, thug that is getting thrown around go and search YouTube and take alook at some of the hits that our now AFL legends did and tell me if you are going to call them out.

Yes he did the wrong thing and will have to live with his actions forever but some of the things written here about a guy player a very brutal game is over the top.

 

[Ron The Bear]

It's funny seeing posters of teams who will play finals wanting him gone for the rest of season. No ulterior motive there nope....

In a lot of strife no matter what. I think five weeks is best case scenario, which would mean he returns without having played in 7-8 weeks.

 

[kaiserchief13]

It’s a very good example of why throwing a punch in any circumstance (not just AFL) is completely reckless, can lead to significant damage, including death.

I dont believe Gaff intended to break Bradshaw’s jaw, but the damage by acting recklessly cannot be undone and he must be penalised harshly.

If it is assessed as reckless then he will get a much lower suspension than deliberate

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Still of the belief that stiking the face wasnt what he intended

I don't see why this matters. He did intend to punch him off the ball and he did hit him in the head. If you make a dumb decisions, you deal with the consequences even if they weren't what you intended. Don't swing at players out of the play if you're not willing to cop a severe penalty. I don't see how it can be anything less than 6 weeks. Incidents that looked less innocuous than that have been given 4-5 weeks.

 

[TigerTime88]

One guy on twitter commented that Gaff was clearly going for the jumper punch and Brayshaw ducked into it. I mean seriously.

Look there is a chance that this may be the case and it was just a loosely thrown punch to the arms/chest....HOWEVER as soon as you throw it you need to be responsible for the action. AFL clearly likes to get involved in social issues (e.g gay marriage), which is fine but this is one that they could make a really good example on. If Gaff is legit remorseful which I think he is after seeing the vision of him and also his interview then he should get involved with Danny Green's coward punch stuff.

 

[Carl Hooper]

Ok home from the game.

Shocking stuff, Gaff will get 5-6 weeks.

Having been at the game though...there was no replay on the big screen of the Brayshaw hit...at all...not at the breaks, in play etc.

So please ease up on the ‘rabid scum cheering for subhuman bastard’ stuff and be realistic. Gaff was definitely getting cheers after Johnson/Ryan rightly crunched him but the majority had no idea what happened prior to that.

There had to be a replay shown... no freo player even knew about it till about a minute after it happened. they musta saw something and then shit popped off

 

[nameless]

Everybody saw Brayshaw come off with a bloody jaw and then the Dockers targeted Gaff. Can’t people figure that out?

They didn't know the extent of the injury at the time, players come off with blood rule every game.

I had to get on the AFL site to find out, and it occurred on the wing in front of me.

 

[Tyler Hodges]

Anywhere between 4-8 weeks, heck given inconsistencies with the MRO he might just cop a fine. Still of the belief that stiking the face wasnt what he intended (and went for the arm/shoulder), but what happened happened and the result was pretty horrific injuries which Gaff will pay for. Inner Eagles supporter hopes it's 4 weeks but most likely 5-6.

Wouldn't hold your breathe mate first time a player has broken his jaw as a result of a strike in the history of the league. 8-10 weeks more realistic

 

[campbell]

It’s a very good example of why throwing a punch in any circumstance (not just AFL) is completely reckless, can lead to significant damage, including death.

I dont believe Gaff intended to break Bradshaw’s jaw, but the damage by acting recklessly cannot be undone and he must be penalised harshly.

So,what did he think would be the outcome,of hitting someone in the face with force?

He chose to hit the player in the head,well off the field of play.not a ball in sight,not in the field of play.....



On iPad using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Biggy_Boy]

If it is assessed as reckless then he will get a much lower suspension than deliberate

He'll absolutely get deliberate. He intended to punch him off the ball. How you could call that reckless is beyond me. Maybe didn't deliberately hit him in the head, but he had no business punching him anyway.

 

[stevo86]

Classic eagles crowd, cheering a dirty sniper like he won them a flag.

I was there they didn't show it up on the screen at all, so all the crowd saw was your players roughing him up for the rest of the game (fair enough as well). But how are they suppose to know what happened otherwise?

 

[TigerTime88]

It's funny seeing posters of teams who will play finals wanting him gone for the rest of season. No ulterior motive there nope....

If you genuinely think anyone cares about that then you're a fool.

 

[CD Xbow]

And he can go dwarf throwing too... lol

Dwarf burning, not throwing, the latter is a team sport.

 

[Scholz Supremacy]

They can’t let him play in a grand final if they lose their first final and make it. He will get 7,

I expect that the AFL will only give him 5 so that he can play the GF if West Coast make it. One thing the AFL will never do is do the honest thing.

 

[Ron The Bear]

If it is assessed as reckless then he will get a much lower suspension than deliberate

Houli was assessed as intentional when he wasn't looking. Gaff is zero chance of avoiding intentional.

 

[kaiserchief13]

He'll absolutely get deliberate. He intended to punch him off the ball. How you could call that reckless is beyond me. Maybe didn't deliberately hit him in the head, but he had no business punching him anyway.

Yeah but I think that comes into it. If he is assessed to have deliberately punched the head the Eagles lawyer may argue he deliberately tried to punch his chest instead

 

[gym4life]

Standing ovation. The eagles crowd are fn wrong. They are like soccer supporters. They don't care about fair play. Look at the way the umpires have been intimidated in the past 10 years. And if you are a wc supporter and this is not you ? Ask the person sitting next to you and ask them if applauding a coward punch is acceptable?

The replay wasn't shown at the ground, I'd imagine many didnt know the exact circumstances around it and assumed it was a bump or something similar.

 

[BG__]

I don't see why this matters. He did intend to punch him off the ball and he did hit him in the head. If you make a dumb decisions, you deal with the consequences even if they weren't what you intended. Don't swing at players out of the play if you're not willing to cop a severe penalty. I don't see how it can be anything less than 6 weeks. Incidents that looked less innocuous than that have been given 4-5 weeks.

Yeah he took the risk when he swung, I hate the allowance of little jabs and punches the AFL allows because it can easily go wrong. Posted this in the game thread:

Yeah i personally hate the jumper punches and little jabs they allow. The AFL has a culture of it and doesn't take much to quickly (and arguably accidentally) turn into something serious like today. We've seen little gut punches this year that have had suspensions, but its ok to jumper punch someone? Its too hard to draw the line imo. Push and shove is fine but any little jabs and jumper punches i reckon the AFL needs to try get rid of. It's pretty easy to cross the line, personally i reckon any striking should be stamped out.

 

[nameless]

I do hope an example is made.
Lives are lost for coward punches, that's not an exaggeration.

Not in Gaff's nature, but he's got to live with his actions now.

 

[kaiserchief13]

I expect that the AFL will only give him 5 so that he can play the GF if West Coast make it. One thing the AFL will never do is do the honest thing.

They didn't do it for Hall in Sydney or Cotchin last year so why start now?

 

[telsor]

If it is assessed as reckless then he will get a much lower suspension than deliberate

There is no such thing as reckless any more, and an off the ball roundhouse is going to be considered deliberate every day of the week.

 

[Carl Hooper]

It's funny how 90 percent of the dockers supporters said it was great when Dale Kickett mauled Hunter and hit him about 10 times for no reason. Many of them still take pride in that.

lmaooo you mean 99% of the Dockers supporters

the visuals of the ambulance driving off slowly was a bit much... he should still get 5 weeks but people are blowing it outta proportion. let's be honest the derby was a snoozefest until that