Andrew Gaff

Gaff attended Kew East Primary School until 2004[http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/2010-afl-national-draft-who-your-club-picked-20101118-17zfd.html 2010 AFL National Draft: who your club picked] - The Age. Published 19 November 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2011. 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 Junior Football Club in the Yarra Junior Football League, 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/picks-of-the-draft-andrew-gaff-20101116-17vdj.html|title=Picks of the draft: Andrew Gaff|first=Emma|last=Quayle|date=16 November 2010|access-date=10 October 2015}}

Growing up, Gaff supported the Melbourne Football Club, and attended the 2000 AFL Grand Final as a spectator in which they lost to {{AFL Ess}} by 60 points.{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-09-29/gaff-hopes-to-create-new-grand-final-memories-after-2000-flogging-|title=Gaff hopes to create new Grand Final memories after 2000 'flogging'|first=Alex|last=Malcolm|date=29 September 2015|access-date=29 September 2015}}

Gaff played his first game for the Eagles in the pool round of the 2011 NAB Cup, playing against {{AFL Haw}} and gathering six possessions, before being rested in the second game against {{AFL Fre}}.

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 {{AFL NM}}, replacing Chris Masten as the Eagles' first substitute player.[http://www.theage.com.au/sport/eagles-victory-soured-20110327-1cc44.html Eagles' victory soured] - The Age. Written by Tim Clarke. Published 28 March 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2011.

Gaff was rewarded for his form by being nominated for the 2011 AFL Rising Star award in round 19, 2011.{{cite web|first=Luke|last=Holmesby|title=Gift of the Gaff|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/119936/default.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405205829/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/119936/default.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 April 2012|publisher=AFL BigPond Network|date=2 August 2011|access-date=2 August 2011}}

Gaff had an extremely consistent season in 2012, gathering a total of 591 disposals and booting 9 goals for the season.

His 2013 season wasn't as consistent as the season previous, but he still played 22 games and gathered 437 disposals.

In 2014, Gaff had further improved season, gathering 534 disposals and kicking 10 goals for the year, he also played 22 games.

2015 saw Andrew become a truly elite player in the competition, he amassed 738 disposals and kicked 11 goals for the season. Including a season highlight of 36 disposals and 3 goals against Adelaide in Round 15. 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,[http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-08-03/aflca-votes-round-18 afl.com.au] and averages 29.9 touches a game, including a remarkable run of five straight games where he collected more than 30 disposals.{{Cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/A/Andrew_Gaff.html|title=AFL Tables - Andrew Gaff - Stats - Statistics}}

File:Andrew Gaff kicking.3.jpg

At the conclusion of the 2015 season, he was awarded the John Worsfold Medal as the club's best-and-fairest player.{{cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-10-10/gaff-caps-stellar-season-with-best-and-fairest|title=Gaff caps stellar season with best and fairest|last=Malcolm|first=Alex|date=10 October 2015|work=AFL.com.au|publisher=Bigpond|access-date=10 October 2015}} His outstanding form was recognised league-wide as he was named on the wing in the 2015 All-Australian team.{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-22/2015-all-australian-team-features-11-new-faces2c-murphy-named-/6796772|title=AFL Finals: 2015 All Australian team features 11 new faces, Western Bulldogs skipper Robert Murphy named captain|last=Bilton|first=Dean|date=22 September 2015|work=abc.net.au/news|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Authority|access-date=10 October 2015}}

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.

In 2018, Gaff was referred to the AFL Tribunal after an off-the-ball strike on Fremantle player Andrew Brayshaw which left Brayshaw with a broken jaw and three dislodged teeth.{{cite web |title=Gaff strikes Brayshaw - Round 20 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTDbEunf_R8&ab_channel=DockerTV |website=YouTube | date=5 August 2018 |publisher=Docker TV |access-date=12 September 2020}}{{cite web |title=Gaff clashes with Brayshaw in fiery Derby {{!}} Round 20, 2018 {{!}} AFL |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w2hajuJQ58&ab_channel=AFL |website=YouTube | date=5 August 2018 |publisher=AFL |access-date=13 September 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/andrew-gaff-set-to-head-straight-to-afl-tribunal-for-punch-on-andrew-brayshaw/news-story/1b1b081026b25dc0cf097b517dd5a9e0|title=AFL Match Review for Round 20: Andrew Gaff referred to tribunal, plenty of fines|date=6 October 2018|website=Fox Sports Australia|access-date=6 August 2018}} He was subsequently suspended for eight AFL matches leading to him missing out on playing in West Coast's premiership.{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-08-07/afl-tribunal-hands-down-gaff-verdict|title=Tribunal hands down Gaff verdict|publisher=AFL.com.au|first=Riley|last=Beveridge|date=7 August 2018|access-date=7 August 2018}} In October, Gaff, a restricted free agent, announced he would turn down a contract with North Melbourne, reportedly for seven years and worth around $8 million, to stay at West Coast.{{Cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-10-07/exclusive-gaff-set-to-stay-with-eagles|title=UPDATE: Gaff rejects Roos, stays with Eagles|last=Bowen|first=Nick|date=7 October 2018|work=afl.com.au|access-date=7 October 2018}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/2018-10-07/gaff-recommits-to-eagles|title=Gaff recommits to Eagles|last=Stocks|first=Gary|date=7 October 2018|work=westcoasteagles.com.au|access-date=7 October 2018|archive-date=20 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190120182150/http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/2018-10-07/gaff-recommits-to-eagles|url-status=dead}}

On August 7, 2024, Gaff announced that he will be playing his final two games before retiring at the conclusion of the 2024 AFL season.https://www.afl.com.au/news/1190537/west-coast-eagles-veteran-andrew-gaff-announces-retirement-from-the-afl

: Statistics are correct to the end of Round 22 2022{{cite web|title=Andrew Gaff of the West Coast Eagles Career AFL Stats|url=http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pc-west-coast-eagles--andrew-gaff|publisher=footywire.com|access-date=10 October 2015}}

{{AFL player statistics legend}}

{{AFL player statistics start with votes}}

|- style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" | {{center|2011}}

| {{AFL WC}} || 3 || 17 || 7 || 7 || 172 || 130 || 302 || 75 || 19 || 0.4 || 0.4 || 10.1 || 7.6 || 17.8 || 4.4 || 1.1 || 4

|-

! scope="row" | {{center|2012}}

| {{AFL WC}} || 3 || 24 || 9 || 13 || 374 || 217 || 591 || 114 || 34 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 15.6 || 9.0 || 24.6 || 4.8 || 1.4 || 4

|-

|- style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" | {{center|2013}}

| {{AFL WC}} || 3 || 22 || 5 || 9 || 266 || 171 || 437 || 76 || 40 || 0.2 || 0.4 || 12.1 || 7.8 || 19.9 || 3.5 || 1.8 || 2

|-

! scope="row" | {{center|2014}}

| {{AFL WC}} || 3 || 22 || 10 || 2 || 344 || 190 || 534 || 120 || 54 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 15.6 || 8.6 || 24.3 || 5.5 || 2.4 || 6

|- style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" | {{center|2015}}

| {{AFL WC}} || 3 || 25 || 11 || 8 || 415 || 323 || 738 || 111 || 62 || 0.4 || 0.3 || 16.6 || 12.9 || 29.5 || 4.4 || 2.5 || 17

|-

! scope="row" | {{center|2016}}

| {{AFL WC}} || 3 || 22 || 7 || 6 || 372 || 285 || 657 || 81 || 27 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 16.9 || 13.0 || 29.9 || 3.7 || 1.2 || 21

|- style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" | {{center|2017}}

| {{AFL WC}} || 3 || 24 || 6 || 6 || 414 || 299 || 713 || 127 || 49 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 17.2 || 12.5 || 29.7 || 5.3 || 2.0 || 9

|-

! scope="row" | {{center|2018}}

| {{AFL WC}} || 3 || 19 || 12 || 4 || 339 || 244 || 583 || 100 || 56 || 0.6 || 0.2 || 17.8 || 12.8 || 30.7 || 5.3 || 3.0 || 16

|- style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" | {{center|2019}}

| {{AFL WC}} || 3 || 22 || 3 || 1 || 437 || 265 || 702 || 141 || 52 || 0.1 || 0.0 || 19.9 || 12.0 || 31.9 || 6.4 || 2.4 || 13

|-

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2020{{efn|The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.}}

| {{AFL WC}}

|| 3 || 18 || 5 || 4 || 251 || 186 || 437 || 81 || 42 || 0.3 || 0.2 || 13.9 || 10.3 || 24.3 || 4.5 || 2.3 || 8

|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"

! scope="row" | {{center|2021}}

| {{AFL WC}} || 3 || 21 || 3 || 1 || 343 || 234 || 577 || 140 || 35 || 0.1 || 0.0 || 16.3 || 11.1 || 27.5 || 6.7 || 1.7 || 9

|-

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2022

| {{AFL WC}}

|| 3 || 16 || 2 || 3 || 191 || 192 || 383 || 72 || 38 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 11.9 || 12.0 || 23.9 || 4.5 || 2.3 || 1

|- style="background:#eaeaea;"

|- class="sortbottom"

! colspan=3| Career

! 252

! 80

! 64

! 3918

! 2736

! 6654

! 1238

! 508

! 0.3

! 0.2

! 15.5

! 10.8

! 26.4

! 4.9

! 2.0

! 110

|}

Notes

{{notelist}}

{{Commons category}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{wceplayer}}
• {{AFL Tables}}
• {{AustralianFootball}}
• {{WAFL FootyFacts}}

{{John Worsfold Medal winners}}

{{2015 All-Australian team}}

{{2018 All-Australian team}}

{{2015 Australian international rules team}}

{{2020 Victorian team players}}

{{2011 AFL Rising Star nominees}}

{{2010 AFL national draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaff, Andrew}}

Category:1992 births

Category:Living people

Category:West Coast Eagles players

Category:Oakleigh Chargers players

Category:South Fremantle Football Club players

Category:All-Australians (AFL)

Category:People educated at Carey Baptist Grammar School

Category:Australian rules footballers from Melbourne

Category:John Worsfold Medal winners

Category:Australia international rules football team players

Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen