1997: Peter Sumich, of the West Coast Eagles during quarter time in the the match between West Coast Eagles and Hawthorn, during round 18 of the AFL season, played at the Subiaco, Perth, Australia. Mandatory Credit: Stuart Milligan/ALLSPORT

Former West Coast Eagles star forward Peter Sumich has opened up about the famous 1994 brawl that saw him fear for his life.

Speaking to Mike Sheahan on Fox Footy's Open Mike on Tuesday night, the two-time premiership player said he thought he would die after being caught in a headlock by Western Bulldogs hard-man Danny Southern.

“I went in and there was a bit of a group on top of Brett and then I came in just to pull one or two of the Footscray players off and as I did that, (and was) leaning over someone grabbed me from behind and got me in a good headlock and then pulled me back" Sumich told Sheahan on the incident.

“I just went to the ground with him and then I just tried to get out of that.

“You try to work it for 5 or 10 seconds and then I thought ‘oh geez he’s got me pretty good here, I’m pretty well done’.

“I couldn’t get out of it. He had me in a headlock that was A grade. He must’ve been a good wrestler!”

The seven-time Eagles leading goalkicker was fearing for his life at that point, and decided to give up resisting in the hope of being released.

That only made Southern grip harder, which saw Sumich black out.

“I just gave the tap-out. I just tapped out (as if) to say ‘OK that’s enough’, just (tapped him) on the shoulder and arm to say ‘OK that’s enough, you got me’.

“And that’s when he went harder, and I thought ‘oh geez I’m in a bit of trouble here’," he said.

“And he went harder and next (thing) you know that was it. I woke up in the change rooms

“I thought to myself, ‘I’m gone’.

“I really started to lose my breath and the whole lot and I thought ‘oh geez I’m gone here’.

“I thought I might die. I seriously did at that moment because I’d never been in that situation — I don’t think too many people would have — and to lose your breath and not know what to do ...

“I thought ‘geez I’m struggling’ and next thing you know, gone. Bang i’d blacked out and woke up in the change room.”

“(I woke up) to a screaming wife and an old man that I reckon wanted to get out there and kill a few people himself because he was pretty upset.”

Sumich said he hasn't spoken to Southern following the incident, and added it wouldn't bother him if he never did again.

“I’d just walk away. I wouldn’t acknowledge him,” Sumich said.

“He’s never rang me to apologise or ... and that’s fine, I’ve got nothing against him with that side of it, but on the flip side I won’t be going out of my way to say hello or do anything.”