Nicky Winmar’s place in Australian sporting history is secure, but the AFL legend now finds himself at the centre of a very different conversation after being convicted of assaulting a woman in a Victorian court.
The former St Kilda champion was found guilty in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court of two counts of common law assault and one count of unlawful assault over an incident in Cohuna in May 2025. The court heard Winmar dragged the woman by her hair and repeatedly slammed her head into a door, although a charge of intentionally causing injury was dismissed after the magistrate found there was insufficient evidence to prove substantial pain. Winmar has not yet been sentenced.
During the contested hearing, Winmar pleaded not guilty and claimed he acted in self-defence.
However, Magistrate Trieu Huynh rejected that version of events, finding the complainant to be a credible and reliable witness whose evidence remained consistent throughout the proceedings. The woman told the court she feared for her life during the incident and described being “petrified” as the assault unfolded.
The conviction has already had significant consequences beyond the courtroom.
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook directed that Winmar’s statue outside Perth’s Optus Stadium be removed, saying the government could not continue displaying a public monument celebrating someone convicted of violence against a woman.
“Violence against women is never acceptable,” Cook said while confirming the decision.
The development marks a dramatic fall for one of the AFL’s most influential figures.
Winmar played 251 AFL games across St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs, became the first Indigenous player to reach 200 VFL/AFL matches and was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2022. His famous stand against racism in 1993—lifting his jumper and pointing to his skin after enduring racist abuse from spectators—became one of the defining images in Australian sport and helped drive significant reforms in the AFL’s fight against racial vilification.
That legacy remains an important part of football history.
At the same time, the court’s findings have inevitably shifted public attention to Winmar’s conduct away from the football field.
This is not the first time the former AFL star has faced assault-related legal issues. In 2019, he pleaded guilty to assaulting a taxi driver, while separate assault and choking charges relating to an unrelated Melbourne matter remain before the courts and have not yet been determined. Those allegations are separate from the Cohuna case and continue through the legal process.
Winmar’s sentencing is expected at a later date.
The case serves as another reminder that sporting achievements and personal conduct are often judged separately. While Winmar’s contribution to Indigenous recognition in Australian football remains historically significant, his conviction has ensured that his off-field actions are now part of the conversation surrounding one of the game’s most recognisable figures.
