Andrew Gaff

Andrew Gaff (born 16 June 1992) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). He plays as a winger or outside midfielder.

Gaff was recruited from the Oakleigh Chargers with the fourth pick in the 2010 National Draft. He made his debut in round one of the 2011 season, and later in the year was nominated for the AFL Rising Star Award. Gaff has been a regular in the West Coast line-up since his debut, and in 2015 played in the club's grand final loss to Hawthorn. He won the John Worsfold Medal as West Coast's best and fairest player that year, and was also named in the 2015 All-Australian team. Gaff placed equal fourth in the 2016 Brownlow Medal.

Early life

Gaff attended Kew East Primary school until 2004^[1] and Carey Baptist Grammar School in his high school years. He starred in the Carey First XVIII football team as a hard-running midfielder who proved to be a prolific goalkicker.

Originally from the Kew Comets, Gaff played in the TAC Cup with the Oakleigh Chargers. before being selected with the fourth pick overall in the 2010 National Draft by the West Coast Eagles. Recognised as one of the best prospects in his draft year, Gaff was renowned for his endurance, work ethic, kicking and ability to accumulate possessions.^[2]

Growing up, Gaff supported the Melbourne Football Club, and attended the 2000 AFL Grand Final as a spectator in which they lost to Essendon by 60 points.^[3]

AFL career

Gaff played his first game for the Eagles in the pool round of the 2011 NAB Cup, playing against Hawthorn and gathering six possessions, before being rested in the second game against Fremantle.

He became the third player in the Eagles' history to wear the No. 3 jumper for the Eagles after Chris Mainwaring and Chris Judd. The jumper was retired for three years following Mainwaring's death in October 2007 and Judd's departure from the club prior to the 2008 season.

Gaff made his AFL debut in the opening round match against North Melbourne, replacing Chris Masten as the Eagles' first substitute player.^[4]

Gaff was rewarded for his form by being nominated for the 2011 AFL Rising Star award in Round 19, 2011.^[5]

As of the end of Round 18, 2015, Gaff was having a career best year. He is ranked equal fifth in the AFL Coaches Association voting,^[6] and averages 29.9 touches a game, including a remarkable run of five straight games where he collected more than 30 disposals.^[7]

In 2015, he was awarded the John Worsfold Medal as the club's best-and-fairest player.^[8] His outstanding form was recognised league-wide as he was named on the wing in the 2015 All-Australian team.^[9]

Gaff had another consistent year in 2016, despite being knocked unconscious in Round 9 by Port Adelaide's Tom Jonas, causing him to miss a week and dip in form, albeit slightly. He rebounded strongly in the last month of the year as the Eagles found some stunning form. He had a career best 38 disposals in a clinical win over Hawthorn at Subiaco in Round 22, and then set a new career-best tally with 41 disposals the next week against Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, as the Eagles entered the finals as the form team of the competition. He was rewarded with a place in the 40 person All-Australian squad, but was left out of the final 22-man team.

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of Round 23 of the 2016 AFL season.^[10]

References

External links

• Andrew Gaff's profile on the official website of the West Coast Eagles
• Andrew Gaff's statistics from AFL Tables

Australian squad – 2015 International Rules Series
Ballantyne Betts Birchall Breust Dangerfield Fletcher (gk) Gaff Goddard Gray Heppell Hodge (c) Mitchell Montagna Mundy Murphy Riewoldt Rockliff Roughead Smith Stringer Taylor Wood
Coach: Clarkson