Vic pub out of control before death: court

A "potentially violent" atmosphere had been brewing at a Melbourne pub leading up to a brawl in which a young man was allegedly killed with one punch, a court has heard.

Corbin Peever had just started working as a manager at Diamond Creek's Windy Mile hotel when the fight broke out in April last year.

Mr Peever said he and fellow manager Jake Murphy had felt the venue "was becoming out of control".

He told Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Tuesday he did not see the accused, Andrew Lee, hit 19-year-old footballer Patrick Cronin, but saw "someone punching in his direction".

Lee's charge of murder was dropped to manslaughter on Monday.

Mr Murphy disagreed that he and Mr Peever saw problems coming, claiming the brawl heated up quickly.

"Within seconds it seemed like every young guy was out the front brawling," he told the committal hearing.

The court also heard from forensic pathologist Yeliena Barber, who said she didn't agree with suggestions the level of bruising in Mr Cronin's brain was inconsistent with the alleged punch.

"It was a blow that was substantial enough to move him," Dr Barber told the court.

She said Mr Cronin was hit in a "very thin" part of the skull - behind the ear.

"In a young person, the skull can deform at that point and bend inward," she said.

The court previously heard that after the brawl, Mr Cronin went to a friend's house complaining of a migraine.

He was given pain relief tablets and told by a friend to sleep it off, but was later found vomiting in the toilet.

He was taken to hospital soon afterwards and later died of a brain injury.

The hearing continues.