This week South Sydney centre Kirisome Auva'a was suspended for a minimum of nine months in relation to a domestic violence incident.

Back on May 28 of this year Auva'a pleaded guilty to charges of recklessly causing serious injury and criminal damage when he appeared before a Melbourne court.

Originally he was stood down from training for seven days and fined $2000 by Souths over the matter, however this week the NRL has taken its own action, primarily because of a campaign led by the Daily Telegraph.

Say what you like about the Telegraph but on this occasion the paper has served the community well, and while the NRL has been late with handing down its punishment, at least it is a substantial punishment.

In the past they have given him just a few games but a nine-month suspension won't have him back until the final few rounds, and it would need something drastic for Souths to want to bring him in so close to finals with no matches under his belt.

As someone who has seen domestic violence first-hand, I have no time for any man that assaults a woman but the key now will be ensuring Auva'a gets the proper rehabilitation.

A couple of weeks ago in a column I wrote about Paul Gallen, I said I'm a believer in second chances, and Auva'a is now firmly on notice.

He has the best part of a year to contemplate things while he is away from rugby league, and while he has a premiership ring to show for his season, he now has to live with being better known for his attack on his ex-girlfriend than for anything else.

The thing he needs to know though, is that while some of that mud will stick forever he has a chance to right his wrongs and he only gets one.

While it's a disgusting thing he has done, he has paid the price through both the court system and through the NRL, and I'd love to see him undertake some work with an organisation such as the White Ribbon Foundation to show that he has learned a lesson.

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The Liberal sports desk of myself, Nick Guthrie and Rob McIntyre spent Wednesday night down at the Dubbo RSL watching the Anthony Mundine v Sergey Rabchenko, and while the fight wasn't the most spectacular spectacle I've got to say Mundine looked as sharp as I've seen him in many years.

At one stage in the 10th round 'The Man' looked to be in a bit of strife but he managed to tackle his way out of trouble and regather his composure.

It's no understatement to say Mundine is a polarising character but you have to give him credit.

As an athlete he's closer to the end of his career than the start and he's just taken on and beaten a guy much younger, who was previously unbeaten and had 18 knockouts on his resume.

In saying that, I don't think Floyd Mayweather is shaking in his boots.