AFL ban ends Eagles star Gaff's season
Andrew Gaff's moment of madness has ended his season, the AFL tribunal handing down an eight-game ban for punching Andrew Brayshaw in a huge blow to the Eagles' premiership hopes.
Gaff fronted a packed tribunal hearing at the AFL's Etihad Stadium headquarters on Tuesday night to answer for his savage hit during the third quarter of the western derby.
Dockers club doctor Ken Withers described in graphic detail the damage caused by Gaff's swinging left-arm punch, which included a broken jaw, the displacement of three teeth and a deep laceration to his lower lip that went down to the muscle.
Brayshaw will not be able to eat solid food for four weeks after having a splint surgically implanted to realign his jaw and teeth - five of which may have to be replaced.
Early in the two-hour hearing David Grace QC, representing the Eagles, entered a guilty plea to the striking charge graded intentional, with severe impact to the head.
He then went about presenting a case for leniency that included a long list of character references and a contrite Gaff giving evidence that he meant to hit Brayshaw in the chest and not the head.
A shattered Gaff, who had never been suspended at any level before, did not avert his eyes as footage of the ugly incident and its devastating aftermath were shown for several minutes.
Jeff Gleeson QC, representing the AFL, described the incident as a "historically significant event" and recommended a suspension between eight and 12 matches.
"Good people do bad things ... it doesn't make them bad people," Gleeson said.
"But the jury's responsibility is to punish the act, not just the person, and the act is very bad."
The jury of Wayne Henwood, David Neitz and Shane Wakelin handed down the lengthy suspension after 13 minutes of deliberation.
Gaff will now miss the rest of West Coast's premiership campaign and the start of the 2019 season.
How many games he misses next year will depend on how deep the Eagles go into the finals.
"First of all I just want to say that I'm so, so sorry to Andrew and the Brayshaw family for the pain that I've caused them over the past 48 hours," an emotional Gaff said as he left the hearing.
"I respect the Brayshaw boys so much and the way they go about it.
"I'm really disappointed. I own my actions, and it really hurts a lot.
"The last 48 hours have probably been the toughest couple of days of my life ... the people that I've spoken to and who have seen me in that time know the world of pain I'm in and how much I'm suffering.
"I see myself as a caring, gentle and measured person and that's why it's disappointing so much more."
Gaff choked back tears as he spoke that last sentence. He did not take questions.
In presenting Gaff's case, Grace stated a ban between eight and 12 games would be manifestly excessive.
The club has until midday on Wednesday to lodge an appeal, but that appears unlikely.
West Coast's premiership tilt is in disarray, with Gaff joining Nic Naitanui (knee) on the sidelines for the rest of the season.
Champion forward Josh Kennedy won't play against Port Adelaide this week and must be in some doubt to return as he struggles with a leg fracture.
In the second case of the evening, GWS youngster Jacob Hopper failed in his bid to have a fine for umpire contact overturned.
THE AFL TRIBUNAL'S HEAVIEST RECENT SUSPENSIONS
* ANDREW GAFF - eight games in 2018
* JEREMY CAMERON - five games, 2018
* TOM BUGG - six games, 2017
* BACHAR HOULI - four games, 2017
* TOM JONAS - six games, 2016
* STEVEN BAKER - nine games (total), 2010
* DEAN SOLOMON - eight games, 2008
* BARRY HALL - seven games, 2008.
