Quote Originally Posted by Doc26 View Post
Thanks Westdog, much appreciated.

Way beyond my area of expertise but it is interesting that interpretation of the crimes act might not yet consider a so called coward punch, causing severe concussion or brain haemorrhage, to be a 'serious injury' that might endanger life. It would appear that as a society we haven't moved far enough in how we might punish such actions particularly given how serious the effect of a single concussive event (or hit to the head) has proven to be on one's life.

Who and how is it determined what type of injury might endanger life ?

Noting that it occurred long ago but can anyone recall what brought about Leigh Matthews being charged for his coward punch on Neville Bruns? Did Bruns make a Police statement? I know that Matthews has been vocal in his thoughts on what he views as overstepping boundaries.
A brain hemorrhage would most certainly be considered a serious injury.

With the Bugg/Mills incident, if concussion was the extent of the injury it wouldn't meet the definition.

A lot of the serious injuries that come about with coward punches occur when heads hit pavements/hard floors when the victim falls unconscious.

Quote Originally Posted by bulldogtragic View Post
NRL celebrate it every State of Origin. Plenty of work to do.

Unless the Summary Offences Act/Crimes Act has changed recently, an 'offence against the person' (ie assault) needs a victim, as opposed to an 'offence against statute' (ie burglary). Without a victim statement generally the court would be unlikely be satisfied of the existence of a victim, and therefore no offence would be proven. I'm pretty sure there's a defence (rarely used) in any event that a player could use to argue it fell within a sporting contest (consented to). Then it's a fight about whether the punch is within the defence. It's a quagmire really, and without a player walking into a police station, making a full statement and reporting a crime, as WD says, the police are sidelined.

Edit: On Bruns/Matthews, the laws may have been different.
The definition of serious injury was narrowed about 3 years ago. Prior to that it was essentially a combination of injuries and was a very vauge definition.