Former AFL star Nicky Winmar jailed for six months for assault on woman

Barrister for former St Kilda player says he will appeal both the sentence and the conviction for unprovoked assault in May 2025

Former AFL star Nicky Winmar has been jailed for six months for attacking a woman in a violent assault.

Winmar, 60, dropped his head as he was sentenced in Bendigo magistrates court over the May 2025 assault against a woman at Cohuna in northern Victoria .

Winmar argued the woman was lying but magistrate Trieu Huynh in July found him guilty of two counts of common law assault and one charge of unlawful assault.

On Friday, Huynh described the offending as violent and unprovoked as he sentenced Winmar to six months’ jail.

Winmar will also be subject to a community corrections order for one year after release.

His barrister Dermot Dann KC immediately indicated his client would be appealing both the sentence and conviction.

As a result, Winmar is expected to apply for bail later on Friday.

The woman, who cannot be identified, told the court Winmar unexpectedly became angry at her before grabbing and twisting her arm.

He then dragged the woman by the hair, pushed her up against a wall and spat in her face before repeatedly bashing her head into a wooden door.

Dann had pushed for a community corrections order only, arguing his client has already been punished for the offending.

The former St Kilda star was removed from the AFL Hall of Fame and his statue was removed from Perth’s Optus Stadium following his conviction.

Winmar kicked 317 goals across 251 games with St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs, and was named in the All-Australian team in 1991 and 1995.

He was the first Indigenous footballer to play 200 VFL/AFL games.