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Two umps suffer injury

The Age reports Michael Stevens and Charlie Gardiner are unlikely to face any repercussions following weekend collisions that left veteran umpire Gavin Dore with a broken leg and Stefan Grun with a sore shoulder.

Dore was carried from the ground during half-time of the Kangaroos-Western Bulldogs match at Manuka Oval on Saturday after colliding with young Kangaroo midfielder Stevens, and the AFL yesterday confirmed he had broken his right fibula.

He was joined on the sidelines by Grun, who injured his shoulder during the third quarter of yesterday's game between Geelong and Adelaide. Grun collided with Cat forward Gardiner and was replaced by emergency umpire Brett Rosebury.

AFL umpiring director Jeff Gieschen last night said Dore believed his behind-play clash with Stevens was accidental.

"From what Gav thinks and from what we saw of it, it appeared to be a complete accident. It's just one of those things that do happen from time to time," Gieschen said.

He had not seen Grun's collision with Gardiner, but had been briefed on the incident and understood it to be similarly unintentional. Gieschen was last night awaiting a medical report on the umpire.

"The guys down there felt it was an accident. The contacts have all been accidental at this stage," he said. "It's just the nature of the game and with so much congestion around the ball now it's always on the cards."