Former premiership-winning AFL player Glenn Archer is being investigated over an alleged assault at a junior football match in Melbourne’s northeast.

Police were called to an oval in Heidelberg on Sunday afternoon after reports a runner had been assaulted but the offender left before officers arrived, Victoria Police said in a statement.

Former North Melbourne player Archer said he watching his son play in the match and got into an altercation with the opposition’s runner after a punch-on between players where an umpire became involved.

“Half time rolls around and the opposition coaching staff, and their runner was screaming and swearing at me,” he said.

He said he tried to explain what happened to the runner, that an umpire hit a player.

“I fended him off and it turned into a screaming match.”

Archer denied assaulting the runner and said he left to defuse the situation.