A QUEENSLAND jury has found a young rugby league player was justified in punching former New South Wales representative Noel Goldthorpe in the head after being provoked by an “underhanded tackle”.

In a rare case of on-field violence spilling into the courtroom, Bribie Island Sea Eagles front-rower Mitchell McMahon faced trial on a charge of assault occasioning bodily harm.

The 22-year-old was charged after a spiteful Sunshine Coast-Gympie Rugby League trial game last April against the Noosa Pirates, captain-coached by Goldthorpe, a veteran NRL half-back.

Gympie District Court heard the match was punctuated by foul play, including elbows and knees to the head, eye gouges and choking.

media_camera Mitchell McMahon leaves Gympie Court after being found not guilty.

It was told 44-year-old Goldthorpe and another star teammate, ex-Melbourne Storm and NSW Origin player Scott Hill, used rough house tactics in a bid to repel the advances of the young 193cm, 104kg prop.

McMahon told the court he was “hit with a couple of elbows”, including one from Hill, in the lead-up to the tackle that saw him vent his fury on Goldthorpe.

The key piece of evidence in the case before Judge Greg Koppenol was television footage of the incident.

It showed McMahon corralled by three Noosa players before being grabbed by Goldthorpe, who held him around his head, his hands seen near the defendant’s eyes.

“I lost my cool,” McMahon said.

“I don’t remember throwing the punches.

“I felt a really strong force against my face. I thought it might be a knee. Then I felt fingers in and around my eyes and another force applied to my head.”

McMahon said he had not known who Goldthorpe was prior to the game, but a trainer later told him it was the St George stalwart, who he said had earned the title “king of the coast” since joining the local league.

media_camera Incident on football field between Mitchell McMahon and Noel Goldthorpe which resulted in charges.

Crown prosecutor Alex Stark conceded that Goldthorpe’s involvement in the tackle had been “outside the rules of the game”, but said McMahon had king hit his opponent and it constituted assault.

“He used excessive and disproportionate force ... acting in a calculating way in a deliberate retaliation, a deliberate payback,” he said.

In his evidence, Goldthorpe said his niggling was “part of the game”.

Defence barrister Stephen Courtney said what Goldthorpe did was “cheating’’, and he had his rival “pinned down and helpless’’.

media_camera Incident on football field between Mitchell McMahon and Noel Goldthorpe which resulted in police charges.

He said the veteran had used both his forearm and knee and put a hand around McMahon’s face.

“On the football field you can expect some niggle, but this went well beyond that.

“Mr Goldthorpe’s conduct was calculating and underhanded

“Mr McMahon’s conduct was automatic, a result of a loss of control.’’

Judge Koppenol instructed the jury of seven women and five men, pointing out they must carefully consider whether there had been “a criminal offence on the football field’’.

He said that when weighing the influence of provocation, it had to be a wrongful act or insult significant enough to deprive an ordinary person of self-control.

The jury took only 30 minutes to return a verdict of not guilty.

Outside court, Mr McMahon, who had been a rising talent with experience in the national under 20s competition, said he was very relieved.

“I have copped a lot of criticism,’’ he said.

“I’ve given up the game and started my own personal training business and want to get on with my life.

“I’ve lost some passion for rugby league, but I might return to it one day. We’ll have to wait and see.’’

media_camera Incident on football field between Mitchell McMahon and Noel Goldthorpe which resulted in charges.

The Courier-Mail could not contact Mr Goldthorpe.

Noosa Pirates secretary Lexi Mawn said the club’s former captain-coach would “not be very happy’’ with the outcome of the trial.

Goldthorpe is a veteran footballer who had his heyday in the 1990s. He played most of his career in the halves for the St George Dragons and also played for the Western Suburbs Magpies, Hunter Mariners, Adelaide Rams and the North Queensland Cowboys, where he was captain.

He represented NSW in the Super League version of State of Origin in 1997, breaking the deadlock in the final with a field goal for New South Wales in what was the longest recorded game of rugby league.