Geelong assistant coach Steven King has been hospitalised after collapsing when he suffered a medical episode at a training session.
Paramedics were called to the Cats’ home ground Kardinia Park in Geelong when King collapsed while talking to players and colleagues on Friday morning.
He was taken to hospital and was conscious as he departed Kardinia Park.
King remains under observation in hospital, although the Cats do not believe the medical episode was life-threatening.
The incident delayed training and a media conference with Cats coach Chris Scott, as the club prepares for Saturday’s preliminary final against the Brisbane Lions at the MCG.
“It has an impact on the players,” Scott said.
“I don’t take the view with these things that you’ve got to pretend that something isn’t happening.
“What we’ve got to do is deal with where we are and … the feedback is really positive.
“So we’ll do our best to focus on that positive, but it is quite confronting.”
King, who Scott described as a “workaholic”, is a contender for the vacant West Coast Eagles head coach position.
Scott suggested the fact King had flown back from Perth following an interview for the Eagles coaching role might have contributed to the episode.
He said it was unlikely King would be in the coaches’ box for Saturday’s grand-final qualifier against the Lions.
King was a Cats premiership player in 2007 and has served in various coaching roles across several AFL clubs since retiring.
