Mark Brayshaw has given the new footballing environment of his son Andy the tick of approval as the families of Fremantle’s first year players were given a tour of the club’s facilities on Friday. 

After spending two months living with captain Nat Fyfe, Andy has since moved in with Lachie Neale and Neale's fiancée Julie.

Mark is more familiar with the AFL environment than the average father, playing 32 games for North Melbourne, and was delighted to see how his son was faring.

 “Every time I speak to him he’s just so happy, Brayshaw said.

“The club’s been very good, he’s very fortunate.

“He's lived with Nathan Fyfe and now he’s moved in with Lachie and his partner.

“He’s in good hands and living the dream.”

As CEO of the AFL Coaches Association along with playing 32 career games for North Melbourne in the early 1990s, Mark is more familiar to the AFL environment than the average father. 

When talking about Andy’s development, Mark highlighted the importance of emulating the likes of Neale and Fyfe.

“He’s very fortunate to have them as role models,” Brayshaw said.

“Andrew’s a diligent young fellow, so living with Lachie and Nathan, it shows him what happens off the field as well as at training.

“There’s all sorts of stuff afterwards too. You’ve got to rehab and stretch and massage and take care of diet, so it’s not just on the track, it’s 24/7." 


Lachie Neale pops in to say hello to the Brayshaws

Speaking after training, Andy also highlighted Fyfe and Neale as his biggest influencers. 

“A lot of the senior boys have shown us younger guys a lot of key stuff,” Brayshaw said.

“Nat Fyfe especially and Lachie Neale has been giving me some tips here and there, it’s really great.”

Now used to training under the watchful eyes of senior coach Ross Lyon, Brayshaw said there weren’t any nerves to train in front of his parents.

“Not at all, they’ve watched me throughout my footy career so it’s just great to have them here and great to have them over,” Brayshaw said.

With his family in town this weekend, Brayshaw said dinner at home would be on the cards.

“As I’m living with Lachie we’re going to have them over there and we’ll get to meet everyone,” Brayshaw said.

“It’s been great. Lachie’s fiancée Jules is really awesome as well. They’ve cooked me up a few storms. They’re a really nice family and I’m really happy to be there.

Despite strong family links to WA, Mark and wife Debbie are settled in Victoria and will likely cross the Nullarbor for the Western Derbies, when Andy and brother Hamish are both in action at what is likely to be a packed Optus Stadium. 

“We’re both West Australians so coming home’s not a problem but hopefully, we’ll see them in a derby or two,” Brayshaw said,

“It’s wonderful to come home and we drove past the stadium today, we’re going to see it this afternoon and it just looks unbelievable.

“It’s extraordinary, so that will be a thrill too.”