By Dave Woods BBC Sport in Sydney

Willie Mason, his barrel chest stuffed inside a smart pinstripe suit, sat opposite his accusers and amongst the curious.

His appointment with justice in the smartly-appointed, fifth-floor office of the Australian Rugby League's Phillip Street headquarters in Sydney provided a fantastic insight into the machinations of a rugby league disciplinary hearing.

Mason punched British prop Fielden and left him unconscious

The three-man disciplinary committee, made up of Nigel Wood of the Rugby Football League, Greg Wood, the independent chairman of the panel, and John Chalk of the ARL, heard Mason's account of the moments that led to his knocking British prop Stuart Fielden unconscious with a clean blow to the face.

"Obviously playing for Australia, I'm very patriotic and he's one of their team's enforcers," Mason said under questioning from his QC.

"He said 'Come on, you ******* Aussie ****,' I said ' **** you ******** Pommie.' He was saying 'let's go, let's go' when we get up. 'I'll belt you, you Aussie ****'.

"He pushed me. I saw his right hand cocked, so I thought I'd hit him first."

Mason's case was that because Fielden was threatening aggression, he was acting in self defence by flooring his opposite number with one of the best punches the international game has seen for some time.

The fact that Mr Mason got in first shows he's a superior fighter Alan Sullivan, Mason's QC

After watching video footage of the incident from several angles, Mason's QC, Alan Sullivan added: "We saw the spray from Mr Fielden's mouth, the look on his face and watched him move his arm back.

"What's Mr Mason expected to do?

"His instinct for self-preservation is one most rugby league footballers have, especially forwards. Hit before you are hit.

"The fact that Mr Mason got in first shows he's a superior fighter. It doesn't mean it was a disproportionate response. Players have a responsibility to look after themselves."

In less than half an hour of deliberation, the three-man committee found Mason guilty, though chairman Greg Wood admitted: "It's a general view that there was provocation."

And after submissions that Fielden had been left concussed by the punch and that Mason was picking up AU$2,500 (�1,000) a match playing for Australia, the Big Hitter was handed a one-match ban and fined AU$5,000 (�2,000).

Deal out justice

That wasn't the end to the drama.

As a host of cameramen, microphone-wielding radio reporters and dozens of newspaper hacks took their places on the steps of Phillip Street to await big Willie's exit, a passing fan shouted: "Leave Willie alone, you *******."

But the big man is big enough to look after himself and soon emerged to give his scripted verdict on his punishment.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed," he said. "And in the light of previous incidents that have gone unpunished I'm surprised by this result."

Surprised or not, it was a terrifically transparent way to deal out justice.

And anyone who caught the brooding look that Mason left with cannot wait for a re-match of the heavyweight title fight that will be the Tri-Nations Final.