NRL player Zane Musgrove is appealing against a sentence imposed after an argument with his girlfriend that a magistrate said had "all the hallmarks of domestic violence".

The South Sydney forward, 22, pleaded guilty in the Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday to pulling a gate from its hinges after driving to pick up his partner, Candice Heise, from her friend's Zetland apartment in the early hours of July 8.

Zane Musgrove arriving at court on Wednesday. Credit:AAP

Two other charges: assault or threaten; and stalk, harass or intimidate, were withdrawn by police following negotiations on Wednesday morning.

But, in sentencing the injured Rabbitohs player, magistrate Megan Greenwood said she needed to send a message to men in the community.