Tempers have flared between Richmond and Hawthorn players in a wild brawl during their Round 8 AFL clash at the MCG on Sunday.

On the day Hawthorn celebrated their centenary, we got a reminder of an era that resembled previous periods of their 100 years, as players remonstrated aggressively during play in the second quarter.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Tempers flare in heated brawl between Hawthorn and Richmond.

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It all started from a James Sicily tackle that caught Richmond forward Maurice Rioli holding the ball, after which the Hawks captain shoved his opponent further into the ground to rub salt into his wounds.

That wasn’t especially appreciated by Rioli’s nearby teammate Tim Taranto, who flattened Sicily with a retaliation bump that cost the Tigers a 50-metre penalty and goal.

“And that’ll be 50!” Jason Bennett said during commentary for Channel 7.

“Tim Taranto came in to fly the flag for Maurice Rioli.

“James Sicily walks to within range of goal as things start to heat up.”

The penalty clearly didn’t seem to worry players close to the action from either side, who were more interested in remonstrating than staying in the game.

A spotfire quickly became a seismic fracas as players from both sides came from everywhere.

“Nankervis has got a piece of Watson — as Sicily kicks the goal... and on they go,” Bennett went on.

“Jarman Impey and Jayden Short — very heated between those two.”

Impey and Short continued on with hostilities, well after most others had left the area and got on with it. It took for Nathan Broad to get between the two to diffuse the situation.

“As soon as Sicily kicked the goal, you could see a few more Hawthorn players jump in on it,” Luke Hodge said.

“It got very angry in there. I reckon there’s a good 14 or 15 fines getting thrown out.

“But I don’t mind that from Taranto, who first initially stuck up and got into Sicily for what he did to Rioli — I understand that, no problems at all.

“Yes, he gave away a 50, yes, he gave away a goal. But he’s sticking up for a young fella when Sicily probably pushed it too far after he got the holding the ball.”

James Brayshaw added: “Geez that’s proper, and it’s ongoing.”

It was one of a number of fracas littered throughout the one-sided contest.

More to come ...