Port Adelaide's Damien Hardwick has accused a Richmond runner of abusing him on-field, sparking the incident which earned him a $1,500 fine from the AFL Tribunal.

Hardwick told the tribunal Tigers runner Matt Hornsby had said to him: "Hardwick, you're a f***ing dickhead" during his side's win at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night.

He then ran after Hornsby and shouldered him in the back, with the AFL citing the Port hardman for misconduct.

Hardwick pleaded not guilty and launched a spirited defence of his reaction, suggesting Hornsby - who denied making any comment directly to the Port player - had no right to abuse him.

"The runner's job is to deliver a message to the team. When he opened his mouth, he made himself part of the game," Hardwick told the tribunal.

"If a player said that to me, I'd remonstrate.

"If a man on the street said that to me, I'd remonstrate.

"If the Prime Minister of Australia said that to me, I'd remonstrate.

"It doesn't give a runner a right to verbalise me just because he's wearing a green uniform.

"It was totally unnecessary for the runner to say that and out of his authority. It's not acceptable and I won't tolerate it."

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