The jury handed down a guilty verdict for manslaughter this [morning/afternoon] after a three-week trial, with evidence heard from Field, eyewitnesses, medical experts and police.

The families of both Mr Kane and Field were in the Lismore courtroom to hear the unanimous verdict delivered by the jury foreman after six hours of deliberation.

The former South Sydney Rabbitohs captain – who had stints with Manly and Wests Tigers – reacted In shock as he sat in the dock in front of Justice Elizabeth Fullerton.

Field – who will celebrate his 42nd birthday on Friday – will be sentenced at a later date.

After a 29-month wait for a verdict on the tragic death of Mr Kane during a carpark brawl at the Kingscliff Hotel, Field looked shattered after he had entered a not guilty plea to murder.

The Kane family broke down in tears after the verdict was read out.

The jury — asked to decide whether Field had thrown the “fatal blow” that caused a massive brain bleed and killed Mr Kane — were sent out by Justice Fullerton to deliberate last Friday.

Before the trial, Field posted on his Instagram about the murder charge.

“Tomorrow starts possibly the biggest week of my life, people who know the real me and have supported me for last couple of years I can’t thank you enough,” Field posted.

“It is a tragic situation that is not fair for any family. The truth has to be told.”

During the trial, Field admitted to punching the 50-year-old moments before he collapsed to the ground suffering a brain bleed but denied he delivered the fatal blow, described by one witness as a “bone shattering punch”.

Mr Bellanto suggested Field had struck a glancing blow to Mr Kane’s right temple and that the fatal blow to Mr Kane’s left jaw may have been delivered by Field’s friend Shaun “Feathers” Fathers, who admitted to starting the fight.

Field’s defence team pointed out flaws in the eyewitness accounts of the punch on July 15, 2012 because some witnesses could not say it was Field who delivered the blow.

Field and Fathers had been at the pub wearing matching blue shirts drinking and punting before an Anthony Mundine fight.

Fathers had been engaged in a running verbal battle with Mr Kane’s friend Lyn Burgher during the afternoon and evening.

Field said he had been acting as the “peace maker” as Fathers, Burgher and others got involved.

As Ms Burgher and Mr Kane prepared to leave the pub, Fathers approached the group and a fight broke out. Before the fight, Mr Kane put his arms up and told Fathers he did not want to fight him.

Field said he punched Mr Kane — who had only been at the hotel for a short period — “out of fear” claiming the blow was delivered in self-defence.

Justice Fullerton had described events leading up to Mr Kane’s death as “a pretty rapid eruption of physical hostilities”. The “rapidly evolving set of circumstances” ended when “the deceased tragically went to ground”.

The jury was told to carefully examine the conflicting medical evidence, focusing on the origin of Mr Kane’s brain bleed, rate of the bleed, effect of the bleed and degree of force to cause the bleed.

Crown Prosecutor Lee Carr had alleged Field threw the sole punch that caused Mr Kane’s head to violently jerk, causing an artery to rupture.

In his evidence, Field claimed he had no animosity towards Mr Kane before the incident, claiming he punched him because he was fearful after his friend Mr Fathers had been struck.

After Field’s punch, Mr Kane fell to the ground in “split seconds”.

Field later asked his father to go down to the pub and check if Mr Kane was all right.

“I hit him dad and he just hit the deck,” Field’s father Colvin allegedly told police after the incident.

In her summing up, Justice Fullerton said Mr Kane had tried to “avoid confrontation” and only retaliated after being provoked.

In April, Fathers — who was originally charged with murder — received an 18-month good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to affray for his role in Mr Kane’s death.