Player jailed after on-field assault

[S Demon]

A country footballer sentenced to jail for an on-field punch says he is shocked by the verdict and believes a match suspension alone would have been punishment enough.

Trent Stanimirovitch, 28, who plays Australian rules football for Whorouly near the Victorian town of Wangaratta, was sentenced by a magistrate to two months in jail, on Wednesday.

An AFL spokesman said he was not aware of any other instance of a player being jailed for misbehaviour on the field of play,

Stanimirovitch delivered a behind-the-play punch to an opposing player during an Ovens and King Football League match last year.

The victim was knocked unconscious, his teeth were driven though his lips and he suffered permanent scarring.

Wangaratta Magistrates Court Magistrate Pauline Spencer told Stanimirovitch that brutality and cowardly acts would not be tolerated, the Border-Mail newspaper reported.

Stanimirovitch pleaded guilty to a charge of recklessly causing serious injury, but has lodged an appeal against the severity of the sentence.

He has been released on bail.

Both teams involved in the incident are supporting Stanimirovitch's appeal.

Stanimirovitch told Fairfax Radio in Melbourne he was feeling "pretty terrible" about the entire incident and was "absolutely surprised" by the verdict.

He has two previous assault convictions.

"I'm just an average young bloke ... I just go about my business and don't really cause too much trouble to anyone really," Stanimirovitch said.

"It's just three separate isolated incidents and obviously this one is on the football field and created a huge amount of attention which has probably promoted it and sent it into something it really wasn't in the first place."

Stanimirovitch said the assault needed to be put in the context of the game of football.

He also said there was "prior history" between himself and the victim.

But he admits violence in footy is unacceptable.

"I have done the wrong thing, no doubt about it, but to sentence me to two months jail for something that's on the football field ... missing games is a pretty substantial punishment in itself."

The Ovens and King Football League also suspended him for seven games.

The stress and worry has made him lose interest in the game, and has also put at risk a personal relationship and his job as an apprentice builder.

"This sort of thing doesn't leave your mind, it went to court six times, the days off work ... it affects you in more ways than just football," he said.

The magistrate told Stanimirovitch she was trying to send a message out that violence in football is unacceptable.

The AFL spokesman said all players know they must live by the letter of the law.

"We do not condone violence in the sport," the spokesman said.

[Footy Chick]

Yeah, saw that... dangerous precedent me thinks..

[S Demon]

I believe he got a 4 week suspension at the tribunal...

[Footy Chick]

I believe he got a 4 week suspension at the tribunal...

The Ovens and King Football League also suspended him for seven games.

Close

[The Ash Man]

I believe he got a 4 week suspension at the tribunal...

Correct, 6 weeks then 4 on appeal

[S Demon]

I believe he got a 4 week suspension at the tribunal...

Correct, 6 weeks then 4 on appeal

Guess I was pretty close then, FC

[Footy Chick]

I believe he got a 4 week suspension at the tribunal...

Correct, 6 weeks then 4 on appeal

Guess I was pretty close then, FC

Smart arse It can be your shout tomorrow just for that...

[piccachu]

are you sure his name wasnt aaron burridge from north haven

[Sponge Bob]

are you sure his name wasnt aaron burridge from north haven

May still be something like this in the wings for a certain Div 1 player yet.

[Sojourner]

It should make no difference where an incident occurs for assualt charges to be laid. Its interesting though that the clubs are backing the assailant, because with a conviction recorded, the lad that was injured now has the full right to a civil suit with the relevant compensation awarded which generally starts at $5000

[zedman]

"He has two previous assault convictions.

"I'm just an average young bloke ... I just go about my business and don't really cause too much trouble to anyone really," Stanimirovitch said.

"It's just three separate isolated incidents and obviously this one is on the football field and created a huge amount of attention which has probably promoted it and sent it into something it really wasn't in the first place."

average young blokes dont lay king hits from behind..gets what he deserves..might make some others think twice now

[Hills]

I think its bullshit. We play a contact sport and i dont condone violence but to take somone to court and the result being he spend 4 weeks behind bars is just wrong!
Surely this has now brought up the question, if you get tackled and pushed in the back and break a vertabrae, rib cage or any other form of injury does this mean that you have a right to sue? I say no!

I have several friends one being who broke a vertabrae by putting his head over the ball and now cannot play footy again. Whats our contact sport coming too?

Soon we will be playing simialr rules and have the same attitude as a bunch of poofter soccer players!

Ouch i broke a nail!

[Dogsbreath]

I think its bullshit. We play a contact sport and i dont condone violence but to take somone to court and the result being he spend 4 weeks behind bars is just wrong!
Surely this has now brought up the question, if you get tackled and pushed in the back and break a vertabrae, rib cage or any other form of injury does this mean that you have a right to sue? I say no!

I have several friends one being who broke a vertabrae by putting his head over the ball and now cannot play footy again. Whats our contact sport coming too?

Soon we will be playing simialr rules and have the same attitude as a bunch of poofter soccer players!

Ouch i broke a nail!

I disgree Hills. It has nothing to do with incidental contact in a game of footy, it was a blatant king hit and he got what he deserved, IMO their is no room in footy for this kind of violence.

[barry_watson]

[quote="Captain Cordial"][quote="piccachu"]are you sure his name wasnt aaron burridge from north haven[/quote]


May still be something like this in the wings for a certain Div 1 player yet.[/quote]



What incident are you refering to captain?

[Brock Landers]

I think its bullshit. We play a contact sport and i dont condone violence but to take somone to court and the result being he spend 4 weeks behind bars is just wrong!
Surely this has now brought up the question, if you get tackled and pushed in the back and break a vertabrae, rib cage or any other form of injury does this mean that you have a right to sue? I say no!

I have several friends one being who broke a vertabrae by putting his head over the ball and now cannot play footy again. Whats our contact sport coming too?

Soon we will be playing simialr rules and have the same attitude as a bunch of poofter soccer players!

Ouch i broke a nail!

Exactly dogsbreath. Getting injured in a tackle is different to being king hit behind play.

Just because it was on a footy field is doesn't make you immune from society's laws.

[barry_watson]

[quote="Dogsbreath"][quote="Hills"]I think its bullshit. We play a contact sport and i dont condone violence but to take somone to court and the result being he spend 4 weeks behind bars is just wrong!
Surely this has now brought up the question, if you get tackled and pushed in the back and break a vertabrae, rib cage or any other form of injury does this mean that you have a right to sue? I say no!

I have several friends one being who broke a vertabrae by putting his head over the ball and now cannot play footy again. Whats our contact sport coming too?

Soon we will be playing simialr rules and have the same attitude as a bunch of poofter soccer players!

Ouch i broke a nail![/quote]

I disgree Hills. It has nothing to do with incidental contact in a game of footy, it was a blatant king hit and he got what he deserved, IMO their is no room in footy for this kind of violence.[/quote]


I think there are alot of things to think about, like what happened to cause the king hit, the players record on the footy field and the damage he caused to the person he hit.

[Footy Chick]

I think its bullshit. We play a contact sport and i dont condone violence but to take somone to court and the result being he spend 4 weeks behind bars is just wrong!
Surely this has now brought up the question, if you get tackled and pushed in the back and break a vertabrae, rib cage or any other form of injury does this mean that you have a right to sue? I say no!

I have several friends one being who broke a vertabrae by putting his head over the ball and now cannot play footy again. Whats our contact sport coming too?

Soon we will be playing simialr rules and have the same attitude as a bunch of poofter soccer players!

Ouch i broke a nail!

Exactly dogsbreath. Getting injured in a tackle is different to being king hit behind play.

Just because it was on a footy field is doesn't make you immune from society's laws.

Gone are the days of " what happens on the footy field, stays on the footy field"

Partly agree with Barry, but this is something that should have been taken into consideration at the league tribunal. There would have had to have been a large loss of income directly as a result of this injury that has caused this to happen.

[Zelezny Chucks]

I think its bullshit. We play a contact sport and i dont condone violence but to take somone to court and the result being he spend 4 weeks behind bars is just wrong!
Surely this has now brought up the question, if you get tackled and pushed in the back and break a vertabrae, rib cage or any other form of injury does this mean that you have a right to sue? I say no!

I have several friends one being who broke a vertabrae by putting his head over the ball and now cannot play footy again. Whats our contact sport coming too?

Soon we will be playing simialr rules and have the same attitude as a bunch of poofter soccer players!

Ouch i broke a nail!

I disgree Hills. It has nothing to do with incidental contact in a game of footy, it was a blatant king hit and he got what he deserved, IMO their is no room in footy for this kind of violence.

But a push in the back is against the laws of the game, if the result of the push means someone gets their neck broken whose to say they won't pursue it further?

[Hills]

I agree that thuggish behaviour shouldnt be on the footy field.
Barry hall did it... He got 6 weeks (i think)
And we all look up to AFL footballers, i think the problem here is consistency (previous year/decades). What happens on the field stays on the field and if that means waiting another 7 or so weeks to get the person back (within the rules of the game) than so be it. 20 years ago this type of thing would of never been taken to the courts!

Although hitting someone from behind is a cowardly act!

[Panther32]

I agree that thuggish behaviour shouldnt be on the footy field.
Barry hall did it... He got 6 weeks (i think)
And we all look up to AFL footballers, i think the problem here is consistency (previous year/decades). What happens on the field stays on the field and if that means waiting another 7 or so weeks to get the person back (within the rules of the game) than so be it. 20 years ago this type of thing would of never been taken to the courts!

Although hitting someone from behind is a cowardly act!

But he should be able to get away with it because he's on a football field???
Realistically I think it comes down to the act itself and the damage done. If someone king hits a bloke and the guy is permanantly scarred or injured as in this case, then it should be in the hands of the police. If you ever have kids(so help me god!) Hills and you're 16 year old son is king hit by a 30 year old behind play and has his jaw broken and eye socket smashed requiring around $2k worth of surgery, is this all "kosher" with you because it happened on a footy field???