Former Essendon player Courtenay Dempsey has been charged with assaulting his partner.

The former Bombers defender faced court on Wednesday, charged with common assault and intimidation.

Dempsey, 38, pleaded not guilty to the charges in Sutherland Local Court, which relate to an incident at a Gymea home on January 11, The Daily Telegraph reported.

It was reported his lawyer sought a variation for the interim apprehended domestic violence taken out for Dempsey's partner's protection, with conditions of the order currently only permitting the pair to have contact regarding parental issues.

The oral application was denied by Magistrate Hugh Donnelly, citing the number of matters before the court, with the case set down for a defended hearing on June 17.

Dempsey, who hails from Mt Isa and has Kalkadoon heritage, played 133 AFL games for Essendon from 2006-2016 in a career blighted by injuries before being delisted by the Bombers at the end of the 2016 season.

In 2016, he received the Speaking Out Against Hatred Award from the Anti-Defamation Commission after speaking publicly about the impact of racism on himself and his family after was attacked with racist social media comments after being involved in an on-the-field incident with Richmond player Brett Deledio.