Two men wanted over the brutal assault of a Whitianga father are believed to have been involved in an altercation at a pub prior to the late night bashing, police say.

Police say the attack on Whitianga father Alistair McEwen in September was an isolated incident and local residents should not be concerned about any random attack.

Alistair McEwen and his family had recently moved to Whitianga before his attack. Photo: Give-a-little/File

Detective Sergeant Martyn Hughes, of the Eastern Waikato CIB, says police believe at least two men were involved in a stoush at the local pub hours before the father of one was found beaten in a ditch on September 4.

Alcohol had been consumed and contributed to the altercation, Hughes says.

"We are trying to locate some suspects in relation to an incident at a Whitianga pub earlier in the evening.

"There was an assault, we believe involves the same suspects - there was a group of people who were party to the attack."

The two men, aged 19 and 24, were working in the Whitianga area around the time of the assault on the Thursday, September 3.

They were not local Whitianga residents, and Hughes believes they hail from the Murupara area where police are continuing inquiries.

"We are seeking the two suspects, who have left the area and gone south to the wider Rotorua area."

Hughes says police know who the two men were and were actively searching for them.

McEwen and wife Emma had recently purchased the Blue Water Marine Services business in Whitianga and were celebrating with drinks at the business on the night of the assault.

A group went onto the local pub where Hughes says there was an incident. McEwen was later walking home when he was assaulted and found conscious, but seriously injured, at the intersection of Cook Dr and Bryce St.

Around the same time police received a 111 call reporting three or four people chasing a man on Cook Dr towards Mercury Bay School.

After spending time in hospital, McEwen had now returned to home where he had resumed light duties at the family-owned business, Emma McEwen says.

"He is back at work but in an off the tools capacity - he can't do any of the normal labour himself, as he can't put his head injury at risk, so he's in more of a project management role."

She says the support and outpouring from the local community had been amazing.

"We walk through the supermarket and people ask how Ali is going. We definitely feel safe here, we have the neighbours watching out for us, police drive past, they are watching out for us."

A Give-a-little page set up to help Emma, Alistair and their 11-month-old daughter Sage, raised $14,012.80.

- Stuff