Hamish Brayshaw Biography

Former West Coast Eagle Hamish Brayshaw claims the 2023 Sandover Medal after an outstanding year as a goalkicking midfielder in the WAFL.

"It's been one of the best years of football I've had in my life," Brayshaw said.

"[East Perth] has become a family for me away from home, and when I got moved over with West Coast they offered the same thing.

"I've had two clubs that I've been fortunate to be a part of, and still a part of West Coast through the AFLW program, that have offered me sanctuary away from home.

"That has been massive in allowing me to fulfil me football career in whatever aspect that may be … and it's been a real honour and a joy for me to be playing football the way that I am and in the team that I am."

West Coast delists Hamish Brayshaw, Nic Reid, Francis Watson, as well as rookies Anthony Treacy and Mitch O'Neill.

"It is obviously a difficult time of the year and on behalf of the club I would like to thank each of those players for their contributions," West Coast list manager Darren Glass said.

"They have all had an impact around the playing group and we wish them well for the future."

Hamish Brayshaw makes his AFL debut for West Coast at the Gabba with 5 disposals (3 kicks and 2 handballs), a mark and a tackle in a 15-point win over St Kilda.

Hamish Brayshaw and Brendon Ah Chee have been delisted by West Coast, but the club has said it will redraft them if they are available.

Andrew Brayshaw says he has forgiven Andrew Gaff, and revealed he might lose five teeth from the West Coast midfielder's crude hit during the Western Derby.

Brayshaw said his brother Hamish Brayshaw, who has developed a close friendship with Gaff after being drafted by West Coast last year, helped convince him Gaff's blow was out of character.

"The action itself is horrific," an emotional Brayshaw told Channel Seven.

"But the person that Andrew Gaff is, I forgive him and I'm not going to hold a grudge against him as a person.

"Hamish told me that out of all the people he knows, and all the people in the AFL, Andrew Gaff would be the last person to do it.

"(A) good bloke has made a bad mistake."

Brothers Hamish Brayshaw and Andy Brayshaw will be pitted as rivals after joining West Coast and Fremantle respectively at Friday night's NAB AFL Draft.

They will join older brother and Melbourne Demon Angus Brayshaw as AFL players.

"Angus was the most natural out of all of them and the other two just sort of came along behind him and grew into themselves," mother Deborah said.

"It was only sort of recently that both of them realised they had the potential having seen how Angus made it.

"It was great having Angus as their role model.

"I just keep pinching myself. Lucky I had that hypnotherapy last year, I think I might be going back for some more."

After being overlooked in the 2017 draft, Hamish Brayshaw knows he may not get the opportunity to join his brothers in the AFL.

Angus Brayshaw is listed with the Demons while younger sibling Andrew Brayshaw is expected to be picked up in 2018.

"I'm lucky enough to have finished school and be at uni. I'm studying and working, so I've got other things in my life besides football, so it's not as if it's just the be all and end all for me - I do have something to fall back on," Hamish said.

"A lot of people who are in the situation where they're not sure (if they will be drafted) don't have other people that are already playing or almost certain to go, so it's a bit of a different dynamic, but I couldn't be happier for the two of them."

Draft prospect Hamish Brayshaw says he doesn't just want to be compared to his older brother, Angus Brayshaw who has established himself as one of Melbourne's brightest young players.

"I've been compared to Angus quite a bit over the last couple of years," Brayshaw said.

"It is handy because you get the name out there but you also want to prove you're not just Angus 2.0.

"I've really made it a big focus point of mine to show that I'm a different player, so that people don't just pigeonhole me into being another Angus."