Six-time Port Adelaide premiership defender Roger Delaney opens up about prostate cancer diagnosis and urges men to get checked

Six-time Port Adelaide premiership defender Roger Delaney has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and is urging men to get regular check-ups.

Six-time Port Adelaide SANFL premiership player Roger Delaney has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Picture: Megan Slade

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Six-time Port Adelaide premiership defender Roger Delaney is undergoing surgery today as he battles prostate cancer.

Delaney, who has been living on the Sunshine Coast for the past nine years, was diagnosed in January following a routine blood test.

The 53-year-old was shocked by the news but said he was now feeling positive, buoyed by the support of his two families – his relatives and the Port Adelaide football community.

Although the cancer is high-grade, it has not spread to any other part of his body and doctors expect the 208-game former Magpie and one-game AFL player to make a full recovery once the prostate is removed.

Roger Delaney in action for Port Adelaide in 1989. Picture: Ray Titus

“I had a blood test, which I have every 12-18 months,” Delaney told The Advertiser.

“The day after my blood test I got a call from my doctor (and) he just said that I had elevated PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels.

“I had to have a biopsy to find out for sure … it was pretty scary when I got diagnosed.

“The first few weeks were really difficult.

“I had nightmares – all the worst things go through your mind.

“But the last few weeks have been good.

“I’ve just felt a lot of love from a lot of people around me.”

Delaney’s wife, Jacqui, a former Australian and Adelaide Thunderbirds netballer, and children Jessica, 33, Yasmine, 21, Jada and Cooper, both 13, have been his pillars of support at home.

Many of Delaney’s Port Adelaide friends have also reached out via phone calls, text messages and surprise visits.

“There’d be 40 of them (past players and officials) that I keep in contact with and the Port Adelaide family is a magnificent thing,” said Delaney, who made his league debut in 1984.

“We are very close-knit.

Jacqui and Roger Delaney with Yasmine who was eight at the time and then nine-week-old twins Jada and Cooper. Picture: News Corp

“I’ve had so many phone calls – the Williams brothers (Stephen and Mark) … and just so many others.

“Darryl Wakelin had a conference on the Gold Coast last week and instead of turning left to go to the Gold Coast, he turned right to come to the Sunny Coast just to have lunch with me.

“The support has been huge.

“Jacqui is very strong and she’s also a pretty happy-go-lucky sort of person.

“She can see when it’s going through my head a bit and she’ll just come up and laugh about something or give me a hug and a kiss.

“I’ve also had lots of support from others, including my best friend since childhood, Michael Rose, flying up (from Adelaide) last week to spend some time with me, which was so important.”

In December, it was the Power that flew up to the Sunshine Coast for their pre-season camp in Noosa, where Port officials introduced Delaney to the current squad and his twins ran water for the players.

George Fiacchi, left, and Roger Delaney celebrate Port’s 1992 SANFL grand final win. Picture: News Corp.

Delaney, who played one AFL game with Fitzroy in 1990 and won SANFL flags in 1988, ‘89, 1992, ‘94 and 1995-96, has remained a passionate Port supporter since retiring in 1997 and watches every Power game on TV with his family.

His cancer battle was made public this month when Magpies premiership teammate George Fiacchi mentioned him in his speech after getting inducted into Port Adelaide’s Hall of Fame.

The hard-nosed defenders lined up alongside one throughout their playing careers – full-back Delaney was nicknamed “Batman” and back pocket Fiacchi called “Robin” – and they have remained close friends.

Delaney planned to surprise Fiacchi at the Hall of Fame event, which also featured Delaney’s uncle Graham Cooper’s 1962, ‘63 and ‘65 Port premiership teams being inducted.

But Delaney was forced to spend a few hours in hospital that day, so watched the live stream online.

“It was a pretty special night for me with a family member and particularly George being inducted,” he said.

According to Cancer Australia, more than 17,000 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer last year.

Tim Ginever and Roger Delaney celebrate the 1995 SANFL premiership. Picture: News Corp

Delaney had a few symptoms before his blood test, including stomach and leg pain, and fatigue.

Although he initially ignored the warning signs, Delaney said he was never going to put off his regular doctor’s appointment and was thankful he went when he did.

As he prepared for Tuesday’s three-hour operation, Delaney implored men to have their prostate check-ups and take their health seriously.

“The one thing I hope I can get through is that if you’re in your mid-to-late 40s, just start getting a blood test every 12 to 18 months,” he said.

“I can’t stress how important it is … so they can get it (cancer) early.

“If I had left it another year, it would’ve been a year too late.”