Andrew Brayshaw has paid tribute to senior coach Ross Lyon for going “above and beyond” in his support of the young midfielder - not just in the days following Brayshaw’s broken jaw but also for his entire debut season.

In an emotional interview on Seven News on Thursday night, Brayshaw thanked his coach for being there for him in the tough moments during and following Sunday’s Western Derby. 

“I sent him a text the other day that I really can’t thank him enough and I wouldn’t have expected it out of a coach,” Brayshaw told Seven News.

“He came down at three-quarter time to just give me a hug. He’s someone, throughout my time at Fremantle, who has shown genuine care for all of his players.

“He’s put so much time into me and he’s worked so closely with me this year and to see my season end like that, it would have been hard for him.”

Brayshaw added that Lyon was waiting for him after he underwent surgery on Sunday night.

“I don’t know how he knew what time I’d be out,” Brayshaw said.

“To be honest, he had probably been waiting there for a few hours. It just shows the character that he is. 

“He’s a legend.”

The 18-year-old said Lyon’s example demonstrated what it’s like to be a part of the Fremantle Football Club, which Brayshaw compared to an extended family.

“Coming over to Western Australia, I knew I’d have my extended family over here and it’s all merged into one really,” Brayshaw said. 

“Every player out there, coach and staff member, they have a tight-knit relationship with me in one way or another.”

While Brayshaw will miss the rest of the year, he’s hopeful of being fit and ready come the start of the 2019 season and he has high hopes for what is to come at the club.

“If we keep going along that path of building strong relationships and working together and working as a team, I’ve got a strong feeling that in the next one to four years we will have some serious success,” Brayshaw said.

“We’ve had an era where we were in finals and minor premiers. I’ve got no doubt that that could happen if we continue down that path.

“It’s going to be a hard path, we’re going to lose games and it’s going to be tough but some of the signs I’ve seen show that we’re a real brotherhood and we’re going to be alright.”