NTFL Wanderers player Simon Bates to fight Mayberry assault charge

A star NT footy player will fight allegations that he cracked a man’s skull in a Darwin nightclub.

A STAR Territory footy player will fight allegations that he cracked a man’s skull during a drunken brawl in a Darwin nightclub.

Wanderers vice-captain Simon Gordan Bates has been granted a one-day hearing to dispute allegations he knocked out a stranger on the Mayberry Nightclub dancefloor.

His legal representative appeared in the Darwin Local Court on Wednesday as hundreds of contested hearing dates were allocated for the 2023 court calendar.

The police statement of alleged facts, provided to the NT News, alleged Bates was intoxicated at the Edmund St nightclub at 3.50am, November 13, 2021.

Simon Bates. Picture: Felicity Elliott AFLNT/Media

Police allege a man was sitting near the dancefloor with friends when he went to strike up a conversation with the well-known NTFL player.

After a brief conversation, Bates allegedly swung a punch at the man.

“Without warning the defendant (Bates) steps towards the victim and with a closed fist, strikes the victim twice to the face in quick succession,” police allege.

Police said CCTV footage showed the man falling backwards, his head hitting the brick wall before he slumped unconscious onto the dancefloor.

Bates allegedly immediately fled the club.

The man was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital, where he spent three days in hospital with a skull fracture and two minor bleeds on his brain.

The court document said the man suffered ongoing constant migraines and ringing in his ears since the alleged attack.

Bates will return to court on February 21 for a contested hearing. His bail was continued.