Charges for attack on Ron Barassi

A MAN accused of attacking football legend Ron Barassi must answer a swag of serious charges.

A MAN accused of attacking football legend Ron Barassi must answer a swag of serious charges.

Travis Bowling, 27, of South Melbourne, has faced court over an assault on Barassi in the early hours of New Year's Day last year.

The charges relate to an attack on Barassi, 73, and a woman he had rushed to protect from an assault moments earlier in St Kilda.

Barassi had been dining with friends on Fitzroy St when he saw Tess Green, a mother of three, being assaulted nearby.

Barassi tried to stop the attacker but was punched and kicked by at least two men.

It is not known whether anyone else will be charged over the attacks on Barassi or Ms Green.

Ms Green had been with friends who had argued with a man at traffic lights before she was attacked.

Mr Bowling faced a filing hearing in Melbourne Magistrates' Court on January 5, after being charged by detectives from St Kilda CIU.

He faces four counts of intentionally causing injury, four of recklessly causing injury, two of unlawful assault, and one of assault in company.

Mr Bowling, who is on bail after being charged on summons, will face the same court again on March 31.

He is believed to have been interviewed by investigators last year.

Barassi, a 10-time premiership player and a coach at Melbourne, Carlton, North Melbourne and Sydney, suffered bruising to the head.

Barassi did not initially report the incident to police but they became involved after a public outcry over his treatment.

"If you see a woman being belted up, you step in. It's like when a kid is being bashed. It's not right," Barassi said after the attack.