Michael Duignan believes the GAA should look at the possibility of temporarily reintroducing water breaks for Sunday's All-Ireland SHC final.
Limerick and Kilkenny are due to meet at Croke Park with the potential that temperatures could reach almost 30 degrees Celsius by throw-in time.
Earlier this year, the GAA scrapped water breaks which had been brought in during the summer of 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
These took place in the 15th and 20th minute in each half of games, at the referee's discretion.
Players were instructed to come to the area in front of their team zone and drink from their own clearly marked bottle.
While the role of maor foirne had been essentially curtailed, the maor uisce was subsequently restored but with limits on access to the field of play.
Two-time All-Ireland winner Duignan told RTÉ's Saturday Sport that the GAA should consider going back to the water break model for the hurling decider.
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"The GAA is generally trying to keep people off the field because we've seen some incidents over the last number of years. I think tomorrow is an exception. I would reintroduce the water break tomorrow for the day that's in it," he said.
"I wasn't a fan of (water breaks) but it was obviously there for a reason during Covid - we knew that - and it was very practical but it went on too long in my view.
"But I think tomorrow it's going to be something that nobody has ever experienced before.
"At Croke Park, with that sort of a crowd, it's going to intensify the heat as well. It's going to be just unbelievable out there so from a player welfare point of view - look, it's probably too late now and maybe it wasn't thought about - I would have reintroduced the water break.
"But you're going to have to get water in and I don't think either county board or any of the management teams are going to be too worried about a few fines afterwards if they do encroach with water but whether there's common sense or a few rules are broken, I think the players will have to get water tomorrow."
The former Offaly forward also discussed two-time All Star Hurler of the Year Cian Lynch's absence due to injury for Limerick and how it affects the reigning All-Ireland champions who are going for a three-in-a-row.
"He has been missing all year and it does narrow the gap definitely," he said.
"He is a phenomenal player and he's going to be a massive loss. It's very difficult to win an All-Ireland without your best player and he's Limerick's best player, so it's a fair achievement for them to be back in the final and obviously now they'll have to take it on without him."
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