Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett says former captain Jarryd Roughead no guarantee to be given farewell AFL game

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett says Jarryd Roughead is no guarantee to be given a farewell AFL game after the veteran forward spent the past two weeks in the VFL.

Jarryd Roughead has played in the VFL in the past two weeks. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith.

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett says the club will only be able to guarantee Jarryd Roughead a farewell game if the Hawks slump from finals contention.

Kennett paid tribute to four-time premiership great Roughead, who kicked an early VFL goal on Sunday but was otherwise quiet.

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Roughead will be desperate to win his way back into the Hawks outfit, but Kennett’s comments yesterday made clear coach Alastair Clarkson plans to fast-track his young forwards for some time yet.

Roughead will retire at season’s end, but Kennett was adamant on 3AW the club would come before the individual.

“The question now is whether he can find a way to come back into the team. And I think it is the team that is more important than anything else,” he said.

“I would like to see him back but he has to earn the right and he understands that.

Jarryd Roughead has played in the VFL in the past two weeks. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith.

“I think you will find if we are competitive at the end of the year and still in the hunt, the sole focus must be on winning every game.

“If we are not in the hunt, you would be very happy for Jarryd to play to say goodbye to him. But we don’t know what those options are. We must be professional. I can’t tell you the number of members who contacted me when Jarryd was dropped, but they understand it.”

Kennett yesterday said clubs continued to battle with the AFL over mental health, as the league resists lobbying to put funding for mental health care outside its football department soft cap.

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“We have got a lot of work to do. The AFL want to contain expenditure on mental health (outside the cap). We think it should be outside but the AFL say it can’t be outside because it gives the wealthier clubs the opportunity to do more. We have got two (mental health staffers) in the soft cap. Geelong has got three and have made a conscious effort to put more emphasis into mental health.”

Originally published as Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett says former captain Jarryd Roughead no guarantee to be given farewell AFL game