Play Nice Was that Gaffs last game for WC?

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samFFC

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we can keep squabbling but we all know deep down that Brayshaw isn't going to press charges, the matter will go to the tribunal, and he'll get somewhere in the vicinity of 8 weeks
Well that's double what many/most WC fans were initially suggesting/recommending yesterday, those of whom thought it deserved punishment and not a matter of Brayshaw 'slipping' etc etc.
 

Seadog

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Footy crowds over here are no different to anywhere else regarding the use of social media and radio's while a game is on.

The notion by theses clowns that no one had any idea what happened is a load of old tosh,

I was working while the game was on and had the radio going, I knew instantly what happened the commentators were all blabbering about his Brownlow chances up in smoke
Well I'm telling you I had no idea, you can call me a liar if you like but it won't alter what my experience was.
 

Scotland

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Naitanui got a week for tackling Parfitt into the turf. What would he get if he that in the street?

Anyway as far as length of punishment goes we have 3 games left in the H&A season and potentially 4 finals. The AFL will be weighing up the PR pros and cons because the possible remaining games in our season is on the cusp of the suspension on offer for Gaff. Are they prepared to suspend Gaff and have him available for a prelim/GF? Do they have the stones to put him out for 7+ and make it impossible for him to play again this year? The timing of the incident makes it more likely they will make an example of him IMO. Once he's out for 6 or 7 then putting him out for 10 isn't a big deal. Players miss the early rounds of the season and no one notices. If it was a couple of weeks earlier in the year the AFL would be shitting bricks at the moment.
 

samFFC

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he's never had a fine or a suspension in his entire football career, including juniors

unless he's just been really good at hiding it for close to a decade?
Footy record does not equal life record.
And if he is a 'good bloke' then even still that doesn't matter. Can still do horrendous acts.
 

captain cotch 9

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IMO this is a very simular incident to Bachar Houlis last year.
Bachar tried to throw his arm back to push off Lamb but clearly got it wrong and knocked him out.
There was no malace there and he copped his own wack with 4 weeks.

Gaffs was trying to do what a lot of players do every week with a a cheap punch to the gut but clearly also got it wrong and got Brayshaw high.
I definatley dont think Gaff tried to do it deliberatley ala Hall and Bugg but it still should be 6+
 

kane249

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2 things there:
1. Pretty sure most Freo fans openly called for 2 week ban, more depending on injury report. Accepted it was a bad tackle and needed a ban. Severity played a part in it being more than 2 given he was off and potentially missing the week after. But 3 was fair all things considered. 4 if he had to miss a couple of games.
2. Tackling with the ball is part of the game, punching off the ball is not so it is fundamentally different.
1) Eagles fans have also been calling for a ban. Pepe's taking issue with the defense being used "Brayshaw ducked a little" "He aimed for the chest". That's similar to the stuff that was mounted in the Nyhuis defense "He was kicking so that's why he was off balance", "He could have braced with his free arm when he hit the ground". Fans will slant things their way to defend their player, it's human nature.

2) Gaff's going to get the book thrown at him because it's off the ball, there's no denying it.
 

76woodenspooners

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... got some dockers hatred, magnificent eagles deflection as well as plenty of butbut Barry and Bugg r bad guys though talk.
Busting a lad’s jaw behind play really shouldn’t be a partisan issue. There are no mitigating circumstances. It shouldn’t matter what colour jumpers the protagonists were wearing at the time.
 

Aramis

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I think Gaff should get 15+, however I predict that the tribunal will give 4-5.
The reason is twofold:
1. The AFL love to hog the news cycle. Having Gaff available for a Grand Final would infuriate the public and cause a media storm on GF week. Bad publicity is better than no publicity.
2. People should not forget that this is the Eagles here. Their favourable treatment from umpires and officialdom is well known.
Sadly, I think that the only thing that will make the AFL deal with incidents like these properly is a Coroner's Report.
Unfortunately it is beginning to look like that this is what it will take for that "bubble of immunity" to be removed from the AFL ovals.
 

Ghossein

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Footy record does not equal life record.
And if he is a 'good bloke' then even still that doesn't matter. Can still do horrendous acts.
i agree, it's just..... extremely unusual. probably the last bloke in our 22 you'd think would be capable of doing that.
 

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Black JuJu

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Surely you don’t need a big screen replay to figure out the way Freo we’re reacting to Gaff following Brayshaw coming off the ground with blood everywhere he probably doesn’t deserve a standing ovation.
Literally had no way of knowing what specifically had happened without ensuring everyone at the ground quickly jumps onto BF to gauge the appropriate level of outrage.
 

_Mike_

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I'm not being emotional. Accusing me of being so is a convenient way of dismissing my post, however.
There's enough emotion within this thread to see it's lost sight of the relevance to how this on field incident will be handled. Either by the AFL or Police. Police have the discretion to allow the AFL to adjudicate on the matter if they believe the punishment is/will be sufficient.

No one has stated that you are being emotional over the topic. It was a general statement in context to what's been going on over the last 18 hours on the matter. All good.
 

Benji85

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And you're basing that on??
The fact that is in 175 games for WC, and 120 games in Juniors he never even received a fine in his entire career. It's why it's as shocking for WC fans as it is to anyone else, no one can explain it because he's not a thug player, he's always been clean and fair and is pretty close with a couple of dockers players (and very good friends with Andrews brother at West Coast).

The whole thing is just ******* bizzare, and I hate it.
 

blckcaviar

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he's always been clean and fair and is pretty close with a couple of dockers players (and very good friends with Andrews brother at West Coast).

The whole thing is just ******* bizzare, and I hate it.
Triple M just said that he was playing golf with both brothers last week. They were obviously all pretty good mates
 

Tas

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There can be only one...
Looking at the way Brayshaw's head moved, I have come to the conclusion that there was a second puncher, hiding in the bushes on a grassy knoll.

I think people need to chill with the assassination-level of hysterics. Gaff had a brain fade and am sure he is very remorseful. I am sure the tribunal will give an appropriate punishment and I am sure he will cop the whack and ask to be forgiven.

Be a better person and forgive him, we are flawed beings and make mistakes, lets not lynch him as he has otherwise been a clean player.
 

Ice-Wolf

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Gaff clearly failed year 7 biology if he was aiming for the gut and got the jaw :eek:
From the footage Brayshaw lent/fell forward toward Gaff just as Gaff swung his arm. Had he not moved it would have collected him in the chest not the jaw. So Gaff definitely meant to make contact (no one should dispute that), he just didn't mean to make contact with the jaw.
 

Scotland

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And you're basing that on??
174 games without incident.

I mean we're talking about a guy who is criticised for being a soft front runner. Not really known for being Mr Physical.

Willie Rioli for example has played 18 games and has already given away more frees than Gaff has in any season. He plays close to the edge and has given away some dumb 50m penalties etc. I have little doubt at some point he'll cross the line and get suspended. Other players are niggly, others still are prone to brain snaps. I don't think it would be that hard to goad James Sicily into punching you, for example.

Every team has players that are physical, players that are antagonists etc. Gaff to this point has never been either - which is why the whole thing is such a shock.

The whole 'character' thing is all up to the point of the incident, though. You run out of good bloke points when you punch someone. If Gaff is reported for something relatively minor in future he'll see be Andrew 'left hook' Gaff,
 
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