American law student Katie Milligan says she had an "instant connection" when she first met her NRL star boyfriend Greg Bird, who is accused of glassing her in the face.
Ms Milligan, 24, has spoken today about their relationship and the alleged attack which left scarring around her eye.
She has vowed to stand by her boyfriend, saying "I'm still not the same when I'm not with him" and people "may never know" exactly what happened.
"I can say with complete certainty that I consider myself an intelligent person," she has told The Daily Telegraph.
"I wouldn't stand by and support somebody who would ever have intentionally hurt me or in the future have the potential to hurt me.
"And if that's not enough for people, I know that's enough for me in my heart."
She made an unsuccessful bid in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday to have an apprehended violence order against the Cronulla Sharks' five-eighth lifted.
Police took out the order following the alleged glassing incident at the Australian rugby league international's Cronulla apartment, in Sydney's south, on August 24.
Ms Milligan suffered cuts and a fractured eye socket after being hit in the face with a glass.
Bird, 24, was stood down by his club after he was charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm and has missed the end of the Sharks' season, with the club one win away from playing in the NRL grand final.
For legal reasons, Ms Milligan cannot talk about the incident, but insists she and Bird were not intoxicated.
"People think it was the result of an all-night bender but that's not what happened at all," she said.
She said she moved from New York to study law in Sydney after falling in love with Bird.
"We had an instant connection," she said.
"When Greg initially mentioned the possibility of me moving I thought I couldn't because I had planned to move to California to go to law school.
"But when I went home (after visiting him in Sydney) I just felt like I wasn't the same.
"I'm still not the same when I'm not with him. It seriously was like a part of me was missing and I've never felt that way before about anybody before."
Under the terms of the AVO, Bird is prohibited from making contact with Ms Milligan.
Outside court on Wednesday, Ms Milligan, who concealed her scars with foundation, pledged her support to Bird.
Asked if she stood by him, Ms Milligan responded: "Absolutely, 100 per cent."
"I definitely don't want the AVO," she told reporters.
The matter will return to court on October 9, when Bird's lawyer will also make an application to vary his bail.
