Tigers turn up heat on hoodoo

Dustin Martin leads his team in a canoeing challenge during Richmond's training camp in Cairns. Picture: Tom Lee Source: The Cairns Post

Karmichael Hunt celebrates after kicking the winning goal after the siren against Richmond in Cairns. Picture: Stewart McLean Source: Herald Sun

FORMER Richmond captain Chris Newman hopes an intense tropical training camp will snap the Tigers' Cairns losing streak.

Richmond holds the unenviable record of being the only AFL team not to register a win against Gold Coast in the Suns' two years in the competition.

Both losses have come in Cairns under a three-year deal that will take the Tigers back to north Queensland in Round 16 next season.

Richmond players and coaches fly back to Melbourne today after a training camp in and around Cairns that included two days getting to know Cazaly's Stadium.

"We've been really fortunate to get the opportunity to come to Cairns, we've obviously played here a couple of years in a row without a lot of success, but hopefully this helps us next year when we play Gold Coast," Newman said on SEN.

The camp also included a multi-day Amazing Race challenge that involved players being split into six teams and exploring north Queensland on foot, by bike and in giant outrigger canoes.

Mega pic gallery: Tigers' Amazing Race

The race also included a golf challenge, climbing Mt Sorrow at Cape Tribulation and a sandcastle-building contest at Port Douglas.

While clubs including Collingwood, St Kilda, Essendon, Carlton and Brisbane fly to the US for altitude training, Richmond and Melbourne are hoping to gain as much by training in extreme heat closer to home.

Newman said the hard work would continue in a heat chamber at the ME Bank Centre, Richmond's training facility at Punt Rd.

"It's been really good for the boys to get a bit of heat training here and we're all pretty fit," he said.

"It's all about heat acclimation, we play here during the year but we feel like there's some benefits to be gained by training in this heat."

Meanwhile, Newman said he would return to his No.1 guernsey after stepping down from the leadership group.

Newman backed new skipper Trent Cotchin to lead the club out of the wilderness.

"We've already seen he has a lot of leadership qualities and I'm looking forward to getting behind him and running out on the 'G in Round 1."

Follow Al Paton on Twitter: @al_superfooty

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