A football player who broke an opponent's jaw during last year's Upper Murray grand final has avoided conviction for the incident.
Federal captain Ashley Tyrell said he hadn't meant to hit Bullioh player Kelvin Wallace in the jaw with his left forearm.
The impact sent Mr Wallace to hospital for surgery and he still has problems with his teeth.
Tyrell's lawyer, Mark Cronin, told the Wodonga Magistrates Court on Wednesday Mr Wallace had been swung around and Tyrell accidentally struck him.
The court heard he had meant to do "nothing more than to bump him or get him away" from his teammates, and was shocked when he realised what he had done.
Tyrell was charged with assault related offences following the incident, which occurred in the final minutes of the game in the Tallangatta Valley on September 8.
Mr Wallace had a plate inserted into his jaw, which was wired shut for three weeks, and had to take time off work. His teeth couldn't be properly realigned.
Tyrell told police during an interview he had been acting as the captain of his team and tried to assist his teammates.
He said he hadn't meant to strike his jaw, but he admitted his actions were reckless.
The court heard that football players consented to a level of "rough play" during games but Tyrell had gone beyond that.
Mr Cronin noted players remonstrating and assisting each other on the football field was "absolutely commonplace" and injuries occurred "day in, day out".
He raised questions of law and whether the actions gave rise to a criminal offence.
Tyrell pleaded guilty to a charge of recklessly causing injury and noted he was "mortified at the fact this injury was suffered".
Mr Cronin said the incident was "entirely out of character for him" and said Tyrell came from a well-respected dairy family.
Magistrate Ian Watkins told the 29-year-old "you didn't need to do what you did ... it was unnecessary violence".
"What you did on this occasion went well beyond (rough play)," he said. "It's going to make a very sensitive rematch next year."
He urged Tyrell to shake the victim's hand and apologise for what he had done.
Tyrell was ordered to pay $2000 a charity.
