Three-time AFL premiership player Chris Johnson provides a character reference for DV-accused St Mary’s footballer Joseph Salmon

An AFL great has provided a character reference for a St Mary’s footballer accused of assaulting an ex-partner.

Three-time AFL premiership player Chris Johnson has provided a character reference for DV-accused St Mary’s footballer Joseph Salmon.

Salmon, 22, has been charged with more than 30 domestic violence related offences and will next face Darwin Local Court in October.

Salmon is facing 44 charges in total – including 27 aggravated assault offences – surrounding his alleged treatment of an ex-partner from October, 2022 to January this year.

A court heard last month Salmon’s partner was pregnant during some of the alleged abuse.

This publication revealed earlier this week North Shore Football Club had provided a character reference for Salmon, where he played 17 games in the Geelong Football League this year after leaving the Northern Territory in mid-January.

Former Brisbane Lions great Chris Johnson, playing with Jacana, has thrown his support behind Joseph Salmon. Picture: Mark Dadswell

He was bailed following his first court appearance on August 24 and played with the Seagulls two days later in the GFL.

A spokesman for peak body AFL Barwon said it was not aware of Salmon’s involvement in the August 24 game until notified by this publication.

“(We are) still working with (North Shore) to understand what has transpired in the matter,” an AFL Barwon spokesman said on Thursday.

However, Salmon’s new employer and former Brisbane Lion Chris Johnson has also submitted a character letter.

The accused began an apprenticeship at SKS Indigenous Technologies nearly two months ago where Johnson is the managing director.

Salmon’s legal representative, Bryn Overend said his client was doing “extremely well”.

Johnson declined to comment when contacted by this publication.

NTFL premiership star lost VFL contract after allegations aired

A St Mary’s footballer lost a VFL contract with the Essendon Football Club amid allegations he assaulted a pregnant woman and ruptured her fallopian tubes, a court has heard.

Joseph Eric Salmon, 22, appeared in the Darwin Local Court on August 24 charged with 44 offences – including 27 counts of aggravated assault – after being arrested in Melbourne a few days prior.

This publication revealed Salmon returned to Geelong after receiving bail and played a game for North Shore in the GFL on August 26.

The court heard that Salmon had his contract with Essendon ripped up after allegations against him were posted on social media earlier this year.

Joseph Salmon In the NTFL Grand Final between Waratah and St Mary's at TIO Stadium. Picture: Glenn Campbell

The club has declined to comment on the matter.

It comes as North Shore also provided a character reference, as did a former AFL great.

The talented footballer has been living with a club official for six months and had become “a part of the family”.

The court heard Salmon’s alleged offending occurred between October 6, 2022 to January 11 this year.

For the prosecution, Kate Nichols said the incidents on January 1 were “particularly serious” with the woman allegedly punched in the stomach and told: “Get up, unless you want another one”.

“Following that incident the complainant suffered immediate and ongoing stomach pain,” Nichols said.

“There was a positive pregnancy test soon thereafter.

“She suffered ongoing stomach pain until January 11 at which point in time we allege the complainant was laying in the foetal position in the shower because the defendant refused to take her to hospital and told her to sleep it off.

Salmon represented the Northern Territory against WAFL club South Fremantle in January this year.

“Saying: ‘You can’t go, they’ll think I bashed you’.”

She said when the complainant eventually went to hospital, it is alleged she had suffered a ruptured fallopian tube requiring surgical intervention and a blood transfusion.

“That’s a particularly serious incident but this is a case of months and months of domestic violence,” she alleged.

The court heard Salmon moved from the Northern Territory to Victoria to live and work in the middle of January this year, before allegations of domestic violence were made in early February from his former partner.

The court heard Salmon had a “limited” criminal record with a “brief history” in Tasmania with a warrant out in South Australia on traffic matters.

“The nature of these allegations is quite serious both because of the voluminous amount of allegations over that three-month period and also because of the nature of those allegations,” she said.

She said photos, phone data and CCTV footage supported elements of her account, plus 13 witness testimonies and an overall statement of 120 pages.

A charge of robbery involved an allegation of demanding money from the complainant.

The court revealed a text change between the defendant and another person, where Salmon said in relation to the January 1 incident: “I f*cked up bro” with a picture of the complainant.

The man reportedly said in a statement: “Joseph said he hurt her really badly or something like that.

Joseph Salmon playing for the Saints in the 2021/22 grand final against Waratah: Glenn Campbell

“He was talking about her because he sent me a video of her all bruised up.”

However, for the accused, Bryn Overend said the matter had to be looked at “holistically” and Salmon was doing “extremely well” in Victoria.

He said Salmon had received reference letters from North Shore FC official Darren Winter.

“Winter provides a glowing report of Salmon’s contributions on the field and also his personality,” Overend said.

“He is a very talented footballer by all reports, previously recruited by Essendon Football (Club), but then the allegations were posted on social media which immediately led to the termination of that contract.

“The picture painted is one of someone living a positive life at the moment.

“I would submit a large portion of the evidence relies heavily on the statement of the complainant.”