Tuesday, March 4
Peter 'Crackers' Keenan

BEFORE anyone gets carried away with Geelong's pre-season form, they should be reminded that this week could be very dangerous for the Cats.

Playing in Cairns in stifling heat is really putting the players' bodies under pressure.

Years ago when I was associated with Collingwood when president Allan McAlisterntsacrrctnte made the infamous statement that Aborigines were OK as long as they behaved like white men, the club travelled to Darwin to try to mend the bridges.

The heat was nearly the same as the conditions in Cairns and a couple of players, Graeme Wright and Scott Russell, ended up on intravenous drips in hospital.

Another five or six were flat for weeks afterwards.

Collingwood found it hard to start that season with great momentum.

It's all very well to take the game around Australia, but not at the expense of the players' health.

Geelong will need to tread carefully with the players after their Cairns' trip.