Former AFL player Andrew Lovett will face sentencing next week after admitting to physically attacking a fellow driver following a minor car crash.

Lovett had allegedly reached into another man's car and smacked him twice across the face after that car had clipped Lovett's side mirror driving down a narrow Melbourne street.

In a police interview that was played for the court, the one-time Essendon star said that: "I wanted to have a go at him and go, 'mate, what the f**k are you doing? You can't just hit people or have your mirrors touch.'"

Victoria Police later charged Lovett, 41, with dangerous driving during a police pursuit and also of multiple assaults.

The incident had the Gunditjmara man claim that he "almost f**king died".

Lovett had pursued the alleged victim, driving on the wrong side of the road to confront the man at a stop sign because he wanted to tell the other driver "he was in the wrong".

The other driver told police he only continued driving away from the incident as he was unaware that either of the cars were damaged.

Lovett's long criminal past was read out to the court to illustrate this confrontation was not an isolated incident that also including his most recent eight-month sentence in prison over a prolonged campaign of domestic violence against his now former partner and other crimes that date back to 2007 during his Essendon playing days.

Lovett's lawyer, Tessa Theocharous of Kurnai Legal Practice, told the court the publicly-known Aboriginal figure in the Victorian community was remorseful for his actions and reported the incident straight to police in the alleged crime.

He arrived at the Northcote police station to "get on the front foot" to report the other driver in what Lovett believed was poor driving for hitting his car's side window in the aftermath of what was captured on camera.

"I was dealing with a guy who's filming me," Lovett told police.

"I knew he was going to come past here, so I thought I'd jump on the front foot, make a complaint about his driving."

The court heard that Lovett suffers from developmental trauma, major depressive episodes and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Ms Theocharous told the court that Lovett undertakes regular psychotherapy, is now "off the drugs and booze", and he has showed a willingness to change his ways in a behavioural change program.

Lovett apparently accepts responsibility for his bad behaviours and recognises the cognitive behavioural therapy has assisted in helping.

The 88-game Essendon midfielder was traded for the No.16 first-round draft pick back at the end of the 2009 season to St Kilda after facing a number of internal issues within his former club.

St Kilda soon suspended Lovett without playing a game after he was accused of sexual assault allegations early into the preseason.

His new club later sacked its star recruit after police laid rape charges about two months later.

The matter went to court and Lovett was acquitted of the charges, but despite the high-profile case being dismissed he never played AFL football again.

Lovett has been working as a qualified rigger, operating large machinery since his AFL playing days ended in 2010.

Lovett pleaded guilty to unlawful assault in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday.

He will be sentenced on July 31.