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News Corp AustraliaThe West Australian Former West Coast Eagles star Peter Sumich has opened up on the infamous brawl at Subiaco in which he feared he might lose his life. Speaking on Fox

Footy’s Open Mike this week, the dual premiership player and seven-time Eagles leading goalkicker, said he thought he was “gone” after being caught in a headlock from Bulldogs opponent Danny

Southern. The clash occurred in the final round of the 1994 season, the Eagles’ home clash against the then-named Footscray. The incident was sparked after Bulldogs defender Steve Wallis

laid a heavy bump on Eagle Brett Heady. “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 said. “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!” Sumich said he feared for his life, and stopped the struggle in a bid to be released. “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’. “And he went harder and next (thing) you know that was it. “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, a former assistant coach with the Eagles and Fremantle, said he had “never” crossed paths with

Southern since the incident. And he wouldn’t be too interested if he did. “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.” Thankfully, Sumich recovered with no lasting

effects, helping the Eagles to a second premiership win in three seasons under coach Mick Malthouse. GET THE LATEST NEWS FROM THEWEST.COM.AU IN YOUR INBOX. Sign up for our emails