Fremantle Dockers star Jordan Clark says Andrew Brayshaw’s courage now minimum standard for teammates

Fremantle midfielder Andrew Brayshaw’s courageous and match-winning decision to put his body on the line for the team in the last 90 seconds of Saturday’s win is now considered to be the Dockers’ minimum standard. The Dockers stunned Gold Coast with an 11-point win in wet conditions at People First Stadium on Saturday. The game was up for grabs with only five points separating the teams in the dying stages when Brayshaw seized his moment to win a crucial contest on the wing as Daniel Rioli charged at the ball. Brayshaw put his head down to win possession, received a free kick when Rioli struck him high and that allowed the Dockers to stave off Gold Coast’s quest for victory and then kick the sealing goal. Star defender Jordan Clark said Brayshaw’s inspirational effort summed up the way he plays every week. “He’s tough. He’s so tough. It was a big contest,” he told The West Australian on the Gold Coast. “Andy was amazing and he does that every week for us. He’s a tough bloke. He will do anything for this club. He’s always got something wrapped around his head or a cut on his eye or a broken nose.” Dockers coach Justin Longmuir criticised his team for not being tough enough following losses earlier in the season and the players made a commitment to each other that they would never fall into that trap again. Clark said the squad had been inspired by youngster Cooper Simpson’s attack on the ball against Port Adelaide last week which left him needing surgery on his shoulder. Clark said every player looked forward to their chance to follow in Simpson and Brayshaw’s footsteps. “That’s what we want to build in this club,” he said. “We want to encourage blokes to put their head over the footy. It was Cooper Simpson last week and he paid the price, unfortunately. “But if our younger players are doing that, or our least experienced players are doing it, everyone else has no choice other than to put their head over the footy. That’s what we are about. “That’s what we lacked earlier in the year against the Saints and Melbourne. It’s bloody good to see. “The team that was tougher in the contest had momentum all day. So if we could wrestle it back, get field position and do what we’d done for 80 per cent of the game, we were going to be in good stead.”