Jarryd Roughead’s cancer all-clear brings a smile to everyone’s face, writes Jon Ralph

FEW people are more beloved in football than Jarryd Roughead and after his all-clear confirmation it was impossible not to stop and smile, writes Jon Ralph.

Jarryd Roughead has got the all-clear from doctors. Picture: Phil Hillyard

FEW people are more beloved in football than Jarryd Roughead.

Like the late Tommy Hafey, Kevin “Bulldog” Murray and modern-day hero Bob Murphy, the mention of his name makes you instantly smile.

Football might have more consequential or dramatic stories this year, but it won’t have a better individual tale.

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Roughy is safe, out of mortal danger after a miracle treatment not available to sufferers of melanoma even five years ago.

Astonishing.

It was impossible not to stop and shake your head with a grin that lit up your face and think that at least for a moment, all was well with the world.

Jarryd Roughead back in training with his Hawthorn teammates.

As Roughead said, football has never been his priority as he fought a melanoma that had re-emerged, this time in his lungs.

“Footy is just a small part of my life. Getting my health right and having my family by my side, they are the things that matter,” he reflected.

Still, it was impossible not to also consider the ramifications for Alastair Clarkson and his football team.

When Roughead went in for scans on Monday afternoon he still believed he would be out of AFL action until June or July.

Only the wildly optimistic would have felt he could take the game by storm next year after nearly two years out and with limited match fitness.

Now as Roughead said himself, he has no limitations on his training and has four months to get match-fit before Round 1.

Four-time premiership Hawks (from left) Cyril Rioli, Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Jarryd Roughead, Grant Birchall and Luke Hodge after their 2015 triumph. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

This is a team and club mocked by many for its decision to trade away four-time premiership champions Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis.

Even with the additions of Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O’Meara, questions remained about their ability to climb the mountain again.

Now their Mr Fixit is fixed, and they have to be premiership contenders again.

He said “2015 feels a long, long time ago”, but to see Roughead take control of the 2015 finals series was to see a player at the very peak of his powers.

He might have kicked five goals in the previous year’s Grand Final but Roughead’s finals series in 2015 was just as scintillating.

Roughead averaged 22 possessions as a roaming forward, kicked two goals in each of the first three finals then capped off his campaign with 26 possessions and a goal in the premiership win over Sydney.

In that final, Roughead showed why he was the complete modern-day forward.

He won 11 of his 26 possessions in the contest, took nine marks, still won three clearances and kicked at 82 per cent.

He is the fulcrum of Hawthorn’s tactics, the perfect type of player to cash in on Hawthorn’s strengths and weaknesses.

You remember how Hawthorn’s contested ball disadvantage finally took its toll in last year, culminating in a straight-sets finals departure.

Roughead is the greatest contested possession forward in the game, so good he was actually able to neutralise the club’s contested possession disadvantage.

In 2015 the Hawks won the most contested possessions inside 50 in the AFL, with Roughead clearly ahead of any other player in the league.

New recruit Tyrone Vickery talks to Jarryd Roughead at Hawthorn training.

This year with Roughead out of the side, they were last in that category.

Put simply, Roughead makes Clarkson’s tactics work.

With John Ceglar nursing a ruptured ACL, Roughy can slip into the ruck to bolster that line.

With Ryan Schoenmakers battling to make an impact up forward, he again slips back in to take the best forward and allow Jack Gunston an easier match-up.

And with Hawthorn struggling to lock the ball in this year, back comes a player also elite for tackles and forward pressure acts.

Think of the rapturous reception Roughead will receive if he breasts the Hawthorn banner in Round 1 next year ... and you can’t help smiling again.