You just can’t keep a good man down.

The media asked some questions during the week about Andrew Gaff’s capacity to adapt to the 2021 game style, which has seen a faster brand of football evolve through the introduction of the man-on-the-mark rule.

Gaff had not been as prolific in the first fortnight of the season, but responded in the fashion of a champion.

The indefatigable wingman accumulated 36 possessions and 13 marks in a remarkable performance that was instrumental in the Eagles victory.

While the external perception might have been that the star left-footer was “down”, he was playing his role and he won a number of tough possessions to be highly influential in this one.

It was anticipated that rather than being detrimental to his game that the return to longer quarters would suit the Eagles running and he certainly impacted more heavily the longer the game went.