The pair were then remanded on bail without plea until their next hearing this month.
The victim's brother later said outside court his sibling was "lucky to be alive" but unable to speak to his worried family, who were waiting and hoping for the best.
"The doctors are not sure yet if he will have brain damage," the brother said.
The man's sister said it was "terrifying" to find her "gentle" brother lying in a hospital bed with severe head injuries.
"It didn't even look like him," she said.
"He wouldn't have fought back, he wouldn't have been expecting it.
"His mates are just shocked at what's happened," she said.
"The worst is the waiting and wondering."
The 32-year-old's stepfather was travelling to Hastings with the man's mother for a family visit when police notified them of the assault.
The stepfather said the attack had "ruined" the victim's life, but that he remained positive after noticing "a little improvement" in him since Sunday.
The victim had been celebrating a birthday and enjoying a few drinks with mates before they became separated as they left the pub, the family said.
One of the accused's fathers was also waiting outside court and expressed his sympathy to the family and the victim.
After being released on bail, the two accused teens bolted from the Hastings courthouse and sought refuge in the Hastings Police Station after noticing members of the media nearby.
Their arrests came on Monday after CCTV footage was released of two males at Turks Bar and near the Havelock North public toilets, where the victim was found.
Detective Sergeant Craig Vining said he couldn't confirm that the 17-year-olds were directly served by any Havelock North bars, but police were "following through with the establishments".
Under their bail conditions, each of the accused must adhere to a curfew, avoid alcohol, not enter Havelock North and not contact the victim, alleged co-offender or witnesses.
The maximum penalty for injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm is 10 years in prison.
