Footy legend Ron Barassi bashed helping woman

Article from: HOLLY IFE, IAN ROYALL, January 02, 2009 01:50pm

Helping someone who is in trouble is the right thing to do however should we get ourselves injured or killed.

SECURITY footage showing football legend Ron Barassi chasing down a thug who punched a woman has emerged.

The AFL great was bashed when he went to the aid of a young woman in St Kilda on New Years Eve.

Barassi, 72, was been dining with friends including yachting great John Bertrand at Bar Santo on Fitzroy St when the group saw a woman punched to the ground around 12.30am.

"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 told the Herald Sun.

Andrew Strang, who owns Bar Santo, said the group were sitting at an outdoor table on Fitzroy St, as revelers streamed up the street after watching fireworks on the beach.

"There was a bit of a scuffle among youths out the front and we saw a young man punch a woman to the ground," Mr. Strang said.

"Ron got up and chased him. I looked up and saw a group of youths surrounding someone on the ground.

"I couldn't see Ron so I ran over and saw him on the ground. We bought him back to the restaurant and I got him an ice pack," Mr Strang said.

'Booted up the arse'

The security footage, from Laika Cocktail Wine Bar next door, shows Barassi chase the youth before being knocked to the ground and surrounded.

Laika Bar proprietor Mike Kanter said his 57-year-old father Boris - a friend of Barassi's - saw the altercation and ran to help.

"Dad booted the last one up the arse as he was running up the street.

"My Dad's an old timer like Ron - if you see someone getting hit you step in and help."

Mr. Kanter described Barassi's actions as courageous.

"It's just a shame something like that happened because it had been a very relaxed night. There was a large police presence and there hadn't been any trouble."

He said police may be able to identify the assailant from the security footage.

The 10-time premiership player and coach was nursing a sore head yesterday and reluctant to talk about the attack.

"I'm OK. I went for my 5km walk today. It'd take more than a prick like that to stop me."

Kicked in the head

Barassi was knocked down and kicked in the head as he lay on the ground about 12.30am.

He suffered bruises to the head but did not go to hospital.

"All I saw was this guy belting up a woman.

"I took after him but I don't know what happened then. I ended up on the ground and was then kicked.

"I was lying on the footpath. I had my arms covering my eyes."

The incident happened so quickly, Barassi was unsure if there was one or more attackers.

He did not report the attack to police.

"I don't see the point. I didn't see anyone," he said. "I wasn't knocked out or anything."

But he suspected that New Year's Eve revelers would have seen the attack.

"It made an interesting start to the year."

Barassi's reputation as a fearless but fair player saw him made an Australian Football Hall of Fame Legend. He played in six Melbourne premiership sides between 1955 and 1964, including two as captain.

He coached Carlton to the 1968 and 1970 premierships before switching to North Melbourne and leading the Kangaroos to their first flag in 1975 and again in 1977.

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