AFL fans shocked at violence: court

Shocked footy fans watched as an Essendon fan slammed a rival supporter's head into a rail during an AFL finals match, a Melbourne court has heard.

Self-employed carpenter Bruno John Commisso, 47, is charged over alleged unprovoked assaults on two men at the MCG during the elimination final between Essendon and North Melbourne in September.

Police say Commisso chased one man down the stairs and threw a punch at him because he was standing in a spot that obscured the view of other patrons.

Commisso then went back upstairs and bashed a second man, police prosecutor Senior Constable Amitoj Singh said.

"The accused grabbed the back of the second victim's head and slammed his face into the hand rail," he told the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday.

"Several witnesses stated that they could hear the sound of the impact of his head against the rail above the crowd."

Commisso indicated he would plead guilty to charges of unlawful assault and recklessly causing injury, but denied the incident was unprovoked.

Commisso was helping his brother after he was pushed by one of the men, who were intoxicated, defence lawyer Anthony Condello said.

He also said Commisso denied slamming the man's head on the hand rail, saying the alleged victim, a North Melbourne fan, fell and injured himself after being pushed out of the way.

"This is a situation where abuse was being hurled left, right and centre," Mr Condello said.

He asked magistrate Michelle Ehrlich not to record a conviction against Commisso, who had no criminal history and volunteered at a charity for at-risk youth.

But Ms Ehrlich said she would record a conviction, based on the information before the court, and would likely sentence Commisso to a community corrections order when the matter was finalised on Tuesday.

Commisso just wanted to put the matter behind him and his family, Mr Condello said.

"I can't live with myself at the moment," Commisso told the court.

"At the end of the day, I deserve the punishment."