Carlton development coach and VFL player Kieran McGuinness has had surgery to repair three cracked vertebrae after he was bumped on the head during a VFL match at the weekend.

McGuinness was hit front on and to the head in the bump while trying to gather a ground ball in the match against Casey Scorpions.

He walked from the ground because he had pain in an arm. The club doctor examined him on the boundary and after being told the hit was to the top of the head, decided the arm pain was referred pain from the head hit.

McGuinness was laid flat and stabilised, an ambulance was called and he was taken to Epworth Hospital where x-rays confirmed three cracked vertebrae but no spinal damage.

He had surgery this week to insert a rod and screws to stabilise the vertebrae while they heal.

"It was an unfortunate incident but thankfully he is OK and there was no spinal damage," said Carlton football manager Andrew Mackay.

No report was made by the VFL over the incident.

McGuinness was on the Western Bulldogs' list, then moved to South Australia where he was captain of Norwood, before moving to Carlton where he has been playing for the Northern Blues and working part-time as a development coach for Carlton.