Jarryd Roughead rolls back the years in his Hawthorn home farewell
Jarryd Roughead wound back the clock with a stunning performance in his last home game for Hawthorn during an uplifting celebration befitting of the man who has bled brown and gold for 14 briliant seasons.
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He has to play next week.
It’s what everyone leaving Marvel Stadium thought as Jarryd Roughead slotted six goals in a day out for the chapion Hawthorn forward.
The 70-point rout over Gold Coast keeps Hawthorn’s finals hopes alive if they can upset West Coast in Perth on Saturday night.
And how can coach Alastair Clarkson leave out Roughead now after coming away with a bag? He looked dangerous, flew for his marks, and kicked straight.
If it is his last game, it was a fairytale finish. An uplifting celebration. Everything he deserved.
Hawthorn 18.10 (118) bt Gold Coast 7.6 (48) at Marvel Stadium
Even the band was reunited at Mrvel Stadium with Luke Hodge, Buddy Franklin and Jordan Lewis all there to watch their friend take a final bow on home turf.
Five goals for Jarryd Roughead! #AFLHawksSuns pic.twitter.com/5pdrLgZ6Wi
— AFL (@AFL) August 18, 2019
DISPOSALS: Hardwick (11), Smith (9), O'Meara (8), Worpel (7)
— Hawthorn FC (@HawthornFC) August 18, 2019
GOALS: Roughead (2), Scully, Worpel, Smith, O'Brien#AFLHawksSuns pic.twitter.com/LJaLRSeDGl
Scenes. The game is forever in debt. #ThanksRough pic.twitter.com/lDTA83J6zB
— Collingwood FC (@CollingwoodFC) August 18, 2019
Is it possible to love this man more? 🥰 pic.twitter.com/ox8E7g9m2l
— Hawthorn FC (@HawthornFC) August 18, 2019
Hawthorn royalty. 💛💛💛 #Always pic.twitter.com/ZLggd29QRA
— Hawthorn FC (@HawthornFC) August 18, 2019
The four-time premiership forward slotted his first goal only seven minutes in to the game, and passionately tugged at his brown and gold jumper after nailing the 50m set shot.
Roughed was mobbed by every one of his ecstatic teammates.
Bravo, ‘Rough’. The photos will be among the best of the season.
This year may have been awkward for him playing mostly in the VFL, but this moment was everything Roughead, and indeed the whole occasion, craved.
And every Hawthorn fan was on their feet, goosebumps and all.
His sixth goal was an absolute gem as he ran on to a bouncing ball and curled home a snap around the body on his left foot, bringing the whole house to its feet.
Overwhelmed by the reception, Roughead was emotional after the final siren.
“I’m cooked,” he said.
“I couldn’t ask for a better day or week to be honest. I was all right before the game, to be able to come out with Pip today I hope we get a few good photos of it.
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“This is unreal, who would have though 15 years ago ... a kid from Leongatha would come this far?”
Equally emotional was Alastair Clarkson in his press conference after the game.
Asked how tough it was to see Roughead walk away he said: “There’s a tinge of sadness because it’s tough. It’s like losing a body part. When someone has been such a warrior for your club. But it has to come to an end.
“His body is just failing him now. Days like today you wander ‘why is he giving it up’?
“It’s testament to our football club, where we have come from and where we want to go to.The legcy of mateship will carry on for those boys, it’s lifelong.
“Roughy’s the last of this generation, except me, some of them will be wishing I was on my way out.
“If that happens to be his last game then what a great way to go out. it’s hard not to select a guy that’s just bagged six.”
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GUNSTON MIX UP
But a Jack Gunston mix-up was priceless in a different sense.
Gunston accidentally cost the man of the moment his third goal in the second term.
Roughead’s eyes lit up as he led up to a perfect Isaac Smith pass.
But Gunston swerved in from the side at the last second and latched on to the mark only metres in front of Roughead, momentarily stealing his teammate’s thunder.
Gunson flung his head back in disappointment, and cursed himself.
Minutes later, he sheepishly apologised.
Never mind, Jack. Roughead slotted two more in the third term, taking a clever mark deep forward after losing his opponent Charlie Ballard around the back of the pack.
His second goal was even better as he showcased his sublime hands and smarts plucking the ball from a marking contest near the point post.
With two goals before the first change, the fast start meant Leongatha’s finest could enjoy the rest of the day, knowing he had made the contribution he would have wanted in potentially his last AFL game.
But to be fair, this contest had the intensity of a training run as Wingard showed some flashes of brilliance, James Worpel continued to excel in the middle, Tim O’Brien took a couple of nice grabs and Hawthorn racked up the percentage-boosting win it needed.
He’s been a slow-burn, O’Brien, but the combination with Lewis has real upside.
George Horlin-Smith tried to tag Worpel but the second-year Hawk was prolific, again, and will finish top-three in the club’s best and fairest.
SURPRISE MOVE
For perhaps the first time in his career, premiership ruckman Ben McEvoy played the whole game at full back.
With no shin guards and socks down, McEvoy spent the full 120 minutes shutting down Sam Day and sweeping across the back line.
While we never would have picked it, the move worked, as Jon Ceglar went to work in the ruck flying solo.
Certainly, it was encouraging enough to use again on Saturday night against West Coast twin towers Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling.
SUNS NEED HELP
The other clubs are going to have to cop it.
Gold Coast’s application for the No.1 or No.2 pick as a priority draft selection should be granted because the franchise club is in desperate need.
Pearce Hanley, Touk Miller and Jarrod Harbrow all battled hard, and Lachie Weller’s 50m goal across the body in the second term was a beauty.
Ben King provided most of the excitement whenever the key forward launched at the ball, and he looks like a star-in-the-making.
But this contest was over 10 minutes in and the club will remain irrelevant unless the league hands over the special assistance the Suns need.
It was hard to know, but there appeared to be only 200-odd Suns’ fans at the game.
SCOREBOARD
HAWTHORN 6.2 10.7 13.7 18.10 (118)
d
GOLD COAST 1.2 2.5 5.6 7.6 (48)
GOALS
Hawks: Roughead 6, Scully 2, Worpel 2, Wingard 2, O’Brien 2, Smith, Shiels, Hanrahan, Nash
Suns: Rischitelli, Weller, Murdoch, Horlin-Smith, King, MacPherson, Ainsworth
JAY CLARK’S BEST
Hawks: Worpel, Roughead, Smith, McEvoy, Hardwick, Scully
Suns: Swallow, Weller, Miller, Fiorini, Witts, Hanley, Harbrow
JAY CLARK’S VOTES
3 — James Worpel (HAW)
2 — Jarryd Roughead (HAW)
1 — Isaac Smith (HAW)
INJURIES
Hawks: Nil
Suns: Sam Day (concussion)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Hay, Gianfagna, Mitchell
Official crowd: 31,331 at Marvel Stadium
Originally published as Jarryd Roughead rolls back the years in his Hawthorn home farewell
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