Andrew Brayshaw

Andrew Brayshaw
Brayshaw in April 2025
Personal information
Nickname Snea[1]
Born (1999-11-08) 8 November 1999
Adelaide, South Australia
Original team Sandringham Dragons (TAC Cup)/Hampton Rovers
Draft No. 2, 2017 national draft
Height 185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight 86 kg (190 lb)
Position Midfielder
Club information
Current club Fremantle
Number 8
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2018– Fremantle 192 (63)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 23, 2026.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Andrew Brayshaw (born 8 November 1999) is a professional Australian rules footballer and the co-vice-captain of the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Early career

Andrew was born in Adelaide, South Australia[2] to parents Mark and Debra Brayshaw, as the youngest of four brothers.[3] Brayshaw grew up in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria.[4] After an impressive junior career for his school, Haileybury, TAC Cup side Sandringham Dragons and the Victorian Metropolitan representative side,[5] he was recruited by Fremantle with the second overall selection in the 2017 AFL draft.[6] Having been drafted on a two-year contract, Brayshaw signed an additional two-year extension in December of the same year, to remain at Fremantle until at least 2021.[7]

AFL career

2018: Debut season

After a series of impressive pre-season games, Brayshaw made his AFL debut for Fremantle in the opening round of the 2018 AFL season against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval. He was one of two first-year Fremantle players to make their debut in Round 1, alongside fellow 2017 draftee Bailey Banfield.[8] He had 12 disposals, 8 handballs, and 2 tackles during the match.[9] In Round 16 against Melbourne, Brayshaw suffered a groin injury, causing him to miss the next two games.[10] He had played every game up until that point.[10] He returned to the Dockers' line-up in Round 19 against Hawthorn, collecting a career-best 25 disposals and kicking a goal.[11] His debut season was cut short when, in Round 20, he was struck by West Coast Eagles player Andrew Gaff in an off-the-ball incident.[12][13] Gaff was subsequently suspended for eight AFL matches, while Brayshaw suffered a fractured jaw and three dislodged teeth.[14]

2019–2020

Brayshaw returned to full training during the 2019 pre-season, and played in both of Fremantle's practice matches against Collingwood and West Coast.[15][16] He had a strong 20-disposal, 14-handball game in Round 1 against North Melbourne,[17] followed by a game-high 10 tackles (both a career-best and an equal season-high) the following week in Round 2 against Gold Coast.[18][19] In Round 19, Brayshaw was Fremantle's best player in a disappointing 47-point loss to the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium;[20] he collected a career-best 26 disposals, 17 kicks, and kicked a team-high 3 goals and earning him the first Brownlow Medal vote of his career,[21] despite polling the sixth-most coaches' votes.[22] Brayshaw finished his second season having played every game, and a top 10 finish in Fremantle's best and fairest award, the Doig Medal.[23]

Coming off a career-best season in 2019, Brayshaw had another consistent year in the shortened 2020 AFL season. He played every game and led the team for disposals, averaging 20 per match (in shortened quarters),[24] tackles, and handballs.[25] He also significantly improved his kicking efficiency from 43.1% in 2019 to 62.8%, rating him 10th in the competition for inside midfielders who played 10 games or more.[26] In Round 11, he played the best game of his career in a best on ground performance against Hawthorn. He recorded 33 disposals — both a game-high and a then-career-high — which was the most of any Fremantle player for the season.[25] He polled the maximum 3 Brownlow votes,[27] 9 coaches' votes,[28] and was rated the highest-ranked player on-field by Champion Data.[29] Coach Justin Longmuir said of his performance: “I thought today was clearly his best four quarter performance and it’s great reward for effort because everything he does, he does at a hundred mile[s] an hour and he does it with a real purpose, so it was great to see him get the rewards."[29] He played his 50th game the following week against Carlton.[30]

Brayshaw finished fourth in the Doig Medal count, behind medalist Luke Ryan, runner-up Nat Fyfe, and the third-placed Adam Cerra. He polled 150 votes (the same as Cerra) but was relegated to fourth due to Fremantle’s tiebreaker rules, which uses games polled to determine the final order when players are equal on votes.[31] He received his first 22 Under 22 team selection at the season's end, named on the interchange bench.[32] Brayshaw signed a four-year contract extension in December, keeping him at Fremantle until at least 2025.[33]

2021–2022

Brayshaw started the 2021 AFL season in excellent form, recording 29 disposals and 1 goal in Round 1 against Melbourne,[34] and 32 disposals and 2 goals the following week against Greater Western Sydney.[35] His next two games were slightly down on numbers, recording a combined 34 disposals for both games[36] while being heavily targeted by opposition taggers.[37][38] Brayshaw returned to form in his next three games, combining for 96 disposals.[36] He was Fremantle's best player in Round 20 against Sydney, recording 34 disposals — both a career-high and game-high[39] — 20 handballs and 14 kicks.[36] He was the best player on ground the following week in a four-point win over Richmond, recording career-best numbers in disposals, tackles and handballs.[40] He polled a perfect 10 coaches' votes and a perfect 3 Brownlow votes.[41] In Round 21, he was found guilty of making unreasonable eye contact to Jarrod Berry of the Brisbane Lions and was given a one-game suspension.[42] Fremantle challenged the ban at the AFL tribunal but was unsuccessful in getting it downgraded.[43] Brayshaw finished the season having played all-but-one game. He once again led the team for disposals, handballs, and tackles[36] and his average disposals per game improved significantly, from 19.94 to over 28. He was named in the 22 Under 22 team for the second year in a row, and finished third-place in Fremantle's best and fairest award, behind Sean Darcy and David Mundy.[44]

Celebratory games
Year Tally
2018 1st Game – Round 1
versus Port Adelaide
2020 50th Game – Round 12
versus Carlton
2022 100th Game – Semi Finals
versus Collingwood
2025 150th Game* – Round 4
versus Western Bulldogs
(*Life Membership)

In Round 2 of the 2022 AFL season, Brayshaw recorded career-best numbers in both disposals and kicks, with 40 and 26 respectively.[45] The 2022 season would prove to be a break out season for Brayshaw, in which he played every game and won his first best and fairest award, the Doig Medal.[46] Brayshaw also earnt his first All-Australian selection, named on the interchange bench of the 2022 All-Australian team.[47] His career-best form throughout the season saw him as a front-runner for the Brownlow Medal, and arguably the best two-way midfielder in the competition.[48] He finished the 2022 Brownlow Medal count polling equal-fourth with 25 votes.[49] Brayshaw also finished the season with the sixth most disposals in the league, collecting 640 across 22 games.[50] In February 2023, Brayshaw was named co-vice-captain of Fremantle, alongside Caleb Serong.[51]

Brayshaw during the round 6 2025, AFL match between Melbourne and Fremantle at the MCG.

2023–2025

Brayshaw was one of Fremantle's best in Round 20 of the 2023 AFL season, during their 7-point win over Geelong at Kardinia Park, collecting 28 disposals.[52] He finished the year as runner-up in Fremantle's best and fairest award, as well as having played every game for the second consecutive season. He was also second in the league for total disposals with 671 across 23 games, finishing just four disposals shy of league leader and fellow Fremantle co-vice-captain, Caleb Serong.[53]

Brayshaw was impressive in Fremantle's opening game of the 2024 AFL season against the Brisbane Lions at Optus Stadium, collecting 32 disposals.[54] He again made a significant impact the next week against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, collecting 27 disposals, four clearances and kicking a crucial goal in the third quarter.[55] Brayshaw collected a game-high 38 disposals and seven tackles against Carlton during the Gather Round in Adelaide.[56] Brayshaw collected a career-best 41 disposals in round 19, in Fremantle's 50-point win over the Melbourne Football Club at Optus Stadium.[57] He would equal this record one month later, in the Dockers' narrow loss to the Greater Western Sydney Giants at the Sydney Showground.[58][59] He finished the season having played every game for the third year in a row, and runner-up in Fremantle's best and fairest award.[60] He was one of five Fremantle players named in the initial 44-man 2024 All-Australian squad.[61] Brayshaw signed a six-year contract extension in March of 2025, tying him to Fremantle until at least 2031.[62]

In Round 7 of the 2025 AFL season, Brayshaw was the inaugural recipient of the Arthur Leggett Medal after a best on ground performance against Adelaide in Fremantle's annual Len Hall Tribute game.[63] The award was inaugurated just days before the match in honour of Sir Arthur Leslie Leggett, Western Australia's last surviving World War II prisoner of war. Leggett was heavily involved in the Len Hall Tribute game and had passed away just two weeks prior.[64] Brayshaw once again played every game for the fourth year in a row, having not missed a game since his suspension in late 2021. He finished runner up in the Dockers' best and fairest award for the third year in a row, behind Caleb Serong, becoming the first player in club history to finish runner-up three times consecutively.[65][66] Brayshaw was eligible to play for Victoria in the revised State of Origin game against Western Australia in February, 2026; however, he went unselected. He was the only player eligible to play for Victoria that finished top ten in the Brownlow to miss out on selection, despite having finished fifth, meaning four other players who all polled less Brownlow votes made the team.

Personal life

Brayshaw's older brother Angus also played in the AFL for the Melbourne Demons and his other older brother Hamish previously played for the West Coast Eagles. His father, Mark Brayshaw, played for North Melbourne, his uncle, James, is a radio and television broadcaster and former cricketer and his grandfather Ian Brayshaw is a former state cricketer.[67]

In January 2024, Brayshaw got engaged to long-time partner Lizzie Stock.[68] They married in November of 2025.[69]

Statistics

Updated to the end of round 22, 2026.[25]

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2018Fremantle8 175512714427149750.30.37.58.515.92.94.40
2019Fremantle8 2277167205372461130.30.37.69.316.92.15.11
2020[a]Fremantle8 170314819133948830.00.28.711.219.92.84.99
2021Fremantle8 2085265303568101930.40.313.315.228.45.14.710
2022Fremantle8 2412123543507041121490.50.514.814.629.34.76.225
2023Fremantle8 23114322349671871430.50.214.015.229.23.86.210
2024Fremantle8 23712305365670991170.30.513.315.929.14.35.122
2025Fremantle8 2478292355647701610.30.312.214.827.02.96.726
2026Fremantle8 2155239280519701260.20.211.413.324.73.36.00
Career 191626122192542476168210600.30.311.613.324.93.65.5103

Notes

  1. ↑ 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.

Honours and achievements

Team

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "The many (many) nicknames of Andrew Brayshaw". fremantlefc.com.au. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  2. ↑ Jordan Clark & Emma O'Driscoll (25 July 2024). "Better Down Back #8 (ft. Andy Brayshaw)". YouTube (Podcast). Docker TV. Event occurs at 20:45. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  3. ↑ "Good Cup Chats and Brews — Brayshaw Bros". www.aflplayers.com.au. 28 August 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  4. ↑ "Draft pick 2 – Andrew Brayshaw". 24 November 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  5. ↑ Waterworth, Ben (3 November 2017). "Andrew Brayshaw, AFL draft 2017, TAC Cup stats, Angus Brayshaw, Hamish Brayshaw". Fox Sports. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  6. ↑ Hope, Shayne (25 November 2017). "Young gun can't wait to join Fyfe". PerthNow. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  7. ↑ "Brayshaw jumps at opportunity to extend". fremantlefc.com.au. 12 December 2017.
  8. ↑ "Brayshaw and Banfield to debut". fremantlefc.com.au. 19 March 2018.
  9. ↑ "Round 1 Fremantle Match Statistics". AFL Tables.
  10. 1 2 "Injury update: Brayshaw set for stint on sidelines". fremantlefc.com.au. 10 July 2018.
  11. ↑ "Round 19 Fremantle Match Statistics". AFL Tables.
  12. ↑ "Gaff strikes Brayshaw – Round 20". YouTube. Docker TV. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  13. ↑ "Gaff clashes with Brayshaw in fiery Derby | Round 20, 2018 | AFL". YouTube. AFL. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  14. ↑ Tran, Danny (7 August 2018). "West Coast midfielder Andrew Gaff suspended for eight weeks for punching Andrew Brayshaw". ABC. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  15. ↑ "JLT Community Series: The heart-warming moment between Andrew Brayshaw and Andrew Gaff in pre-season derby". The West Australian. 10 March 2019.
  16. ↑ "Confident Brayshaw sets sights on JLT". afl.com.au. 5 March 2019.
  17. ↑ "Round 1 Fremantle Match Statistics". AFL Tables. 24 March 2019.
  18. ↑ "Round 2 Fremantle Match Statistics". AFL Tables. 31 March 2019.
  19. ↑ "Fremantle – 2019". AFL Tables.
  20. ↑ McGowan, Marc (28 July 2019). "Dogs destroy Dockers to stay in touch with top eight". AFL – via WayBack Machine.
  21. ↑ "Round 19 Fremantle Match Statistics". AFL Tables. 28 July 2019.
  22. ↑ "Round 19". AFL Coaches Association.
  23. ↑ Staff writers; with AAP (6 October 2019). "Simply the best: See every AFL club's best and fairest winner for 2019". Fox Footy.
  24. ↑ "Doig Medal preview: Andrew Brayshaw". fremantlefc.com.au. 16 October 2020.
  25. 1 2 3 "Andrew Brayshaw". AFL Tables. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  26. ↑ "Doig Medal preview: Andrew Brayshaw". fremantlefc.com.au. 16 October 2020.
  27. ↑ "2020 Brownlow Medal". AFL Tables.
  28. ↑ "Round 11". AFL Coaches Association.
  29. 1 2 "Duo respond to the 'blowtorch'". fremantlefc.com.au. 6 July 2020.
  30. ↑ "Brayshaw's 50th by the numbers". fremantlefc.com.au. 14 August 2020.
  31. ↑ "Luke Ryan wins 2020 Doig Medal". fremantlefc.com.au. 22 October 2020.
  32. ↑ Zita, David (22 September 2020). "AFLPA 22under22 revealed: 15 debutants feature in best young guns team of 2020". Fox Footy.
  33. ↑ "Four more years: Dockers lock in rising midfielder until 2025". Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  34. ↑ Beveridge, Riley (20 March 2021). "Dees record Round 1 win at home". melbournefc via AFL Media.
  35. ↑ "All Freo in the coaches' votes". fremantlefc.com.au. 29 March 2021.
  36. 1 2 3 4 "Fremantle – 2021 Game by Game Player Stats". AFL Tables.
  37. ↑ Laughton, Max (19 April 2021). "Freo 'lost the battle but won the war' in 2020. Now Andrew Brayshaw is close to 'top 10' status". Fox Sports.
  38. ↑ "'It's an honour to him' – Teammates back Brayshaw". fremantlefc.com.au. 11 April 2021.
  39. ↑ "Andrew Brayshaw". rotowire.
  40. ↑ "Big, strong and 'ready to take over': Freo's 'Mr Perfect' primed for 2022". Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  41. ↑ "A perfect 10 for Andy". fremantlefc.com.au. 2 August 2021.
  42. ↑ "Match Review: Freo gun rubbed out for eye contact, Bomber banned". AFL.com.au. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  43. ↑ Schmook, Nathan (11 August 2021). "Mixed MARATHON Tribunal: GWS, Freo consider appeal after failed night". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  44. ↑ "Sean Darcy wins the 2021 Doig Medal!". fremantlefc.com.au. 2 October 2021.
  45. ↑ "Brayshaw on third quarter drop offs". fremantlefc.com.au. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  46. ↑ "Andrew Brayshaw wins the 2022 Doig Medal". fremantlefc.com.au. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  47. ↑ "Andy adds All Australian to his honours". fremantlefc.com.au. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  48. ↑ Schmook, Nathan. "Is this Brownlow fancy the League's best two-way midfielder?". Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  49. ↑ Bilton, Dean. "Patrick Cripps wins 2022 Brownlow Medal from Lachie Neale and Touk Miller in thrilling count". Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  50. ↑ "Most Disposals 2022 AFL Statistics". zerohanger.
  51. ↑ Schmook, Nathan. "Pearce named new Dockers captain, young guns as deputies". Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  52. ↑ "Match Centre". foxsports. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  53. ↑ "Most disposals 2023 AFL statistics". zerohanger.
  54. ↑ Schmook, Nathan. "Freo overcomes horror injury toll to hand stunned Lions 0–2 start". afl.com.au. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  55. ↑ "Freo rally to reel in Roos with nine-goal blitz". fremantlefc.com. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  56. ↑ Rogers, Samantha. "Fremantle Dockers suffer heartbreaking 10-point loss to Carlton on back of controversial finish". thewest. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  57. ↑ Schmook, Nathan (21 July 2024). "Dockers crush Dees to climb into top four". afl.com.au.
  58. ↑ Waterworth, Ben (17 August 2024). "SEVENTH straight Giants win as new 'superstar' emerges; Hulk Hogan's six sinks Freo amid costly brainfade: 3–2–1". Fox Sports.
  59. ↑ "AFL Tables – GWS v Fremantle – Sat, 17-Aug-2024 1:45 PM – Match Stats". AFL Tables. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  60. ↑ Fox Footy (7 October 2024). "Blues superstar makes more history to cap off dominant season — Every AFL club's B&F". Fox Sports.
  61. ↑ Francis, Kieran (May 2024). "AFL All-Australian 44-player squad 2024: The players selected from your club". The Sporting News.
  62. ↑ Cotton, Ben (4 March 2025). "'Always wanted to be a one-club player': Dockers star Andy Brayshaw signs six-year extension until 2031". Fox Sports.
  63. ↑ Kirby, Aaron (25 April 2025). "Arthur Leggett Medal: Andrew Brayshaw wins Anzac Day medal for Fremantle Dockers". The West Australian.
  64. ↑ "Len Hall Tribute Game deepens legacy with Arthur Leggett Medal". fremantlefc.com.au. 23 April 2025.
  65. ↑ Schmook, Nathan (4 October 2025). "Dockers star wins Doig Medal to go back-to-back-to-back". afl.com.au.
  66. ↑ "Serong makes history with three-peat". fremantlefc.com.au. 4 October 2025.
  67. ↑ Quartermaine, Braden (26 December 2017). "Brayshaws' Xmas torture tradition". PerthNow. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  68. ↑ Epstein, Jackie (30 January 2024). "Love is in the air for Brayshaw family as Fremantle star Andrew pops question to Lizzie Stock". Herald Sun. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  69. ↑ Graham, Tahnee (2 November 2025). "Dockers star Andy Brayshaw and wife Lizzie Stock soak up newlywed bliss on the water". PerthNow.
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