Brad McCarroll, 22 had been at the Commercial Hotel with Staggs and another friend Brogan Jake Black, 22, on November 6 last year when a fan had asked for a photo of the Brisbane Broncos player.

According to court documents, Staggs denied the request telling the man he "walked like a faggot".

READ ALSO:

Later Staggs approached the fan who was seated at a table between the main bar and the bistro, and asked if he had called him a "black c---".

The two had a conversation about the matter before Staggs' friends McCarrol and Black punched the fan multiple times to the head region in the middle of the pub.

According to police, during the altercation the fan had fallen backwards on the table, and as a result of the fight suffered a laceration to his upper lip and swelling to the area.

Shortly after the initial fight, the fan had gone to another part of the pub when according to police McCarroll carried out an unprovoked attack and repeatedly punched the man again.

At one point the man tried to protect himself by placing his hands over his head.

During this fight, a woman who was seated with the man received a strike to the face and was left with a cut to her upper lip, which police said was the cause of McCarroll's violent conduct and reckless behaviour.

After the victim's reported the matter to police Black attended Dubbo Police Station to hand himself in. McCarroll was later located and arrested by police at the Castlereagh Hotel.

Black was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily ham in the company of others and affray, and convicted in Dubbo Local Court earlier this year. Magistrate Theresa Hamilton sentenced him to an 18-month community corrections order.

In court on Wednesday, McCarroll was sentenced for one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in the company of others and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Defence lawyer Jennifer Spear told the court Black had thrown the first punch after the fan had admitted to making a "racially inappropriate" comment to Staggs.

She argued McCarroll's decision to get involved and engage in "testosterone fuelled violence" was an "impulsive one".

Supported by his parents in court, Ms Spear said McCarroll was "remorseful and embarrassed" and had never been in trouble with police before.

"He comes from a well respected family in Wellington, and telling his family was one of the most humiliating experiences of his life," she said.

The court heard McCarroll was leaving his career as a plumber and moving to Newcastle for a "fresh start" as a landscaper.

Magistrate Gary Wilson described him as a "very highly spoken of young man with a good future", however said due to the nature and significance of offending a criminal conviction was necessary.

"Pubs, alcohol and this type of offending happens all too often in this town unfortunately," he said.

"You made the wrong decision and it should not have occurred."

McCarroll was convicted and sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order.

Staggs had not been criminally accused of wrongdoing in relation to the brawl, but was issued a $10,000 fine by the NRL integrity unit over the incident. He was also ordered to undertake an education course.