Posted: 2024-09-20 03:31:04

Geelong assistant coach Steven King has been discharged from hospital after collapsing when he suffered a medical episode at a training session on Friday.

Despite being given the all-clear from doctors, King will not be a part of Geelong's coaching panel for Saturday's preliminary final against Brisbane at the MCG.

Geelong's senior coach Chris Scott will be joined by Nigel Lappin and Mark Corrigan in the coach's box. Shaun Higgins will continue in an interchange role that sees him work closely alongside King despite King's absence from the ground.

"First and foremost, the club's priority has been Steven's health and providing support to his family," said Geelong's GM of football, Andrew Mackie in a statement on Saturday.

"We are pleased he is now at home and taking some time to rest and recover."

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.

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 on Friday.

"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.

King had flown back from Perth on Thursday night following an interview for the Eagles coaching role.

"In these situations, it does reinforce that there is a right thing that supersedes football," Scott added.

"I suspect that if he's feeling good he'll be disappointed to hear that news [of not participating in the preliminary final] and even if he's not feeling great he'll be disappointed because he's a competitor.

"But even at this pointy end of the season, it reinforces to us what the right thing is over lesser priorities."

King was a Cats premiership player in 2007 and has served in various coaching roles across several AFL clubs since retiring.

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