Young Docker Andrew Brayshaw — who has spent the week at the centre of a football firestorm — says he forgives his on-field attacker, believing he is a “good bloke who has made a bad mistake”.

The Fremantle rising star became the unwitting subject of the biggest AFL story of the year on Sunday when his jaw was broken and five teeth displaced by West Coast Eagle Andrew Gaff’s swinging fist.

The punch left Brayshaw bloodied, Gaff’s reputation battered and football fans across the country outraged.

But in a mature, measured interview, Brayshaw said that while Gaff’s hit was “horrific”, he did not hold a grudge against him — and hoped to meet him face-to-face as soon as possible.

“The action itself is horrific — but the person Andrew Gaff is, I forgive him and I am not going to hold a grudge against him as a person,” the 18-year-old said.

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“I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I hope it gets stamped completely out of the game and I never see it again.

“I honestly don’t believe anyone in the game at the moment has the intention to hit someone in the face.

“However, he did try and hit me and did end up collecting my jaw. Those are the facts and that’s what happened.

“I don’t think he intended to and having watched his post-tribunal interview and post-match interview, it seems like he is showing care and he genuinely does feel sick about what happened.”

Camera Icon Injured Fremantle youngster Andrew Brayshaw. Credit: Megan Powell

Since the third-quarter of Sunday’s 48th western derby, Brayshaw has been at the forefront of football conversation, with the images of him leaving Optus Stadium bloodied becoming national news.

Brayshaw said he remembered trying to do his job for the team, impeding the movement of the influential Gaff without any “malice or anger”.

Then his world became a blur of blood and teeth.

“I wasn’t expecting a hit,” Brayshaw said. “I definitely wasn’t expecting anything to the face and from there it was all sort of a bit of a blur.

“I remember falling down and feeling a few of my teeth rubbing up against my tongue, in a position they hadn’t been in before ... the reaction of everyone who saw my mouth at the time sort of told me how serious it was.

“There was so much adrenaline going through me at the time, I didn’t really feel much. I was just shocked and stunned.”

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After being taken from the ground to be examined by Dockers doctor Ken Withers, it was his mother Debra who Brayshaw saw next.

“She didn’t really want to see my mouth but she wanted to give me a hug and be there,” he said.

“It was tough to watch her reaction. I tried to smile at her and she tried to smile back but, I guess similar to myself, she didn’t really comprehend what had happened and we were all in shock.”

With an ambulance called to take Brayshaw to hospital, the No.2 draft pick said coach Ross Lyon came into the rooms to see him before addressing the rest of the team on the ground during a tense and fractious three-quarter time break.

“He had a game, a team to address,” Brayshaw said.

“He would have had a thousand things going through his head ... so for him to take a detour to come and see me to make sure I am all right before doing anything else just shows the character he is. He is a legend.”

Camera Icon Brayshaw inspects the damage. Credit: Megan Powell

Lyon was also waiting at the hospital when Brayshaw emerged from emergency surgery.

The teenager said it has been a painful, emotional week.

“There is a fair bit of pain,” he said. “Sleeping isn’t easy, eating is a massive challenge and mentally there is a fair bit going on as well.

“I am trying to stay on top of things — but there is pain and it will be lasting for a while.”

As will his recovery.

On a diet of smoothies, soup and blended meals, Brayshaw may not know for weeks if his teeth will need to be replaced.

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In the meantime, he said he would recuperate with the help of family, friends and Fremantle — and a meeting with Gaff would be a major step.

“It is something I want to discuss with him, accept (his apology) and both of us can move on,” Brayshaw said. “I think it is almost essential to move on.

“I feel to move on with my career and to move on with my life, we both need to do this — and the sooner the better for me.”

Gaff’s eight-week AFL ban, which rules him out of action for the rest of the Eagles’ season, was viewed by some as too harsh and by others too lenient.

For Brayshaw, the punishment was adequate. “Post the incident, I am missing the rest of the year,” he said.

“Andrew Gaff is now missing the rest of the year.

“And my pre-season 2019 is going to be slightly interrupted and Andrew Gaff’s pre-season for 2019 will also be slightly interrupted.

“From my position, we are both in a similar sort of area.”

And that is where Brayshaw wants it to stay.

“I have got a strong view I will not be taking any further action,” he said. “It was a good man making a bad error.

“I don’t think he deserves to be put under any more scrutiny.

“I definitely want to move on from this and not take it any further — and I don’t think it should.”