Here's what I wish happened with Gaff/Brayshaw.

[mjp]

First off, let me say that I hope he gets suspended for 10+ weeks.

Now that's out of the way, here's what I wish Gaff said after the game:

"Really sorry for my actions but I just snapped. I've had these blokes hanging off me for 3 years and, well, you all saw it. We had the footy and were kicking it forward - I tried to run and get to the contest but he was illegally blocking my run more than 25m away from the ball...sure, I didn't meant to hit him in the head but I meant to hit him...what else can I do? I run out every weekend and just get held and blocked and scragged illegally all over the ground...and no-one ever does a thing about it."

He shouldn't have hit him in the head. He shouldn't. But watching Martin get scragged in full view of 3-umpires on Friday night it is clear they aren't offering any protection...so the players are taking the law into their own hands (which I think we all applaud) but when it goes wrong, this is the outcome.

Lyon's comments about him being an 18year old 'kid' by the way...well, that may be so - so don't send him to the lions and get him to physically engage with a 26yo then - or SHUT UP.

[bornadog]

Blocking, holding scragging has been part of the game for ever, and I hate it, it is almost cheating as far as I am concerned, however, as you say, Gaff must get 10 plus weeks. The AFL needs to sort this bullshit hitting players in the chest, or guts, or arm etc as we see when it goes wrong, it really does go wrong.

[Happy Days]

Isn't it just an amazing coincidence that he happened to belt an 18 year old kid and not a more senior player.

I for one am amazed by it.

[Bulldog Joe]

Isn't it just an amazing coincidence that he happened to belt an 18 year old kid and not a more senior player.

I for one am amazed by it.

It is no coincidence. It is the result of tactics employed by (in this case) Ross Lyon, to try and negate the run of an elite player, by utilising said 18 yo kid as the scragger.

[Jeanette54]

The replay of the Gaff incident appears to show him being continually being body punched by Brayshaw in the lead up. Not sure how long anyone should have to put up with that. Surely we have enough umpires on the field to stop these kind of incidents before they happen. A timely free to Gaff might well of avoided him taking the law into his own hands.

Also can't help thinking about the hypocritical media stance. This weekend we were treated to a plethora of big hits and incidents from past Hawthorn/Essendon games, in the good old days. But then we get the sickening moralising with regard to this incident.

[jeemak]

The replay of the Gaff incident appears to show him being continually being body punched by Brayshaw in the lead up. Not sure how long anyone should have to put up with that. Surely we have enough umpires on the field to stop these kind of incidents before they happen. A timely free to Gaff might well of avoided him taking the law into his own hands.

Also can't help thinking about the hypocritical media stance. This weekend we were treated to a plethora of big hits and incidents from past Hawthorn/Essendon games, in the good old days. But then we get the sickening moralising with regard to this incident.

We're watching a different replay J54. The one I see shows him blocking Gaff's run and using his arms only slightly to do so.

Agree the media is hypocritical in its approach to on field violence.

[jeemak]

It is no coincidence. It is the result of tactics employed by (in this case) Ross Lyon, to try and negate the run of an elite player, by utilising said 18 yo kid as the scragger.

Ross Lyon's fault? I'm no Lyon fan but taking any of the blame away from Gaff is completely ridiculous, and I am really confident he wouldn't have done something similar if it was Mitch Robinson blocking him like Brayshaw was.

[Happy Days]

It is no coincidence. It is the result of tactics employed by (in this case) Ross Lyon, to try and negate the run of an elite player, by utilising said 18 yo kid as the scragger.

Hmmm nope it's a result of Andrew Gaff having the temperament of a small child and deciding to king hit someone 100m off the ball because he believes that's an appropriate reaction to having his "run blocked" or whatever.

[Bulldog Joe]

Ross Lyon's fault? I'm no Lyon fan but taking any of the blame away from Gaff is completely ridiculous, and I am really confident he wouldn't have done something similar if it was Mitch Robinson blocking him like Brayshaw was.

I am not apportioning blame to Lyon, more to the tactic applied by many coaches of utilising the scragging tactics, and often with the least experienced/youngest players given the task. He can't then bemoan an 18 yo being in the firing line if he sent him there.

I don't believe Gaff would have had a different intent regardless of who the tagger was.

I know you are firmly convinced that Gaff intended to hit me high, but I differ on that.

Because the AFL has tolerated body punching, it has been seen as a legitimate tactic to put off an opponnent. I believe strongly that Gaff had that intention only.

Hmmm nope it's a result of Andrew Gaff having the temperament of a small child and deciding to king hit someone 100m off the ball because he believes that's an appropriate reaction to having his "run blocked" or whatever.

Gaff has never shown malicious intent throughout his career. I simply do not believe that he struck out because the opponent was a first year player.

If the tactics of blocking and scragging were suitably penalised the tactics would not be so prevalent.

[Happy Days]

BJ, he broke his jaw and caved in his 4 front teeth. If he wasn't trying to hit him high (he was) then what exactly was he trying to do to him? There is no way that punch is thrown with anything less than ill will and an intention to badly hurt.

Also that malicious intent argument only washes until they do show malicious intent. It's why this argument about him being of good character is so rubbish, because this is the action of a person of bad character, and demonstrates him to be a person of bad character.

[Ozza]

BJ, he broke his jaw and caved in his 4 front teeth. If he wasn't trying to hit him high (he was) then what exactly was he trying to do to him? There is no way that punch is thrown with anything less than ill will and an intention to badly hurt.

Also that malicious intent argument only washes until they do show malicious intent. It's why this argument about him being of good character is so rubbish, because this is the action of a person of bad character, and demonstrates him to be a person of bad character.

So everyone that has ever thrown a punch in any circumstance is a person of bad character? Get real.

[Happy Days]

So everyone that has ever thrown a punch in any circumstance is a person of bad character? Get real.

That's a bit of a strawman argument and pays no regard to the circumstances that have played out here to be honest.

[Bulldog Joe]

BJ, he broke his jaw and caved in his 4 front teeth. If he wasn't trying to hit him high (he was) then what exactly was he trying to do to him? There is no way that punch is thrown with anything less than ill will and an intention to badly hurt.

Also that malicious intent argument only washes until they do show malicious intent. It's why this argument about him being of good character is so rubbish, because this is the action of a person of bad character, and demonstrates him to be a person of bad character.

I have looked at the video and I am convinced that he was attempting to hit him in the body (something that has been condoned, particularly for players and teams in contention).

The punch went horribly wrong and he has to take and live with the consequences. I do not accept that he had an intention to badly injure Brayshaw.

The consequences are serious, but it does not automatically follow that his intention was malicious.

I suspect that Gaff (and many others) have delivered body punches with no serious consequences on numerous occasions.

The incident with Toby Greene on Luke Dahlhaus in 2017 was done with significantly greater malicious intent.

[Go_Dogs]

When someone throws a coward punch outside a nightclub, I don't believe they intend (some perhaps do) for the victim to fall and hit their head on the concrete and die, however as soon as they throw that punch I feel they lose the right to claim lack of intent. Others may have a different view, however I find that to be analogous to the Gaff situation.

Back on topic, will be interesting to see what Gaff says in mitigation tonight (if anything) and mjp could be on the money.

[Topdog]

They are arguing it mjp.