Jarryd Roughead’s cancer scare transcends football, says Mark Robinson

WE WRITE and talk about football as if it’s life or death. But when it’s revealed Jarryd Roughead faces another cancer battle, it makes everyone take a step back, writes Mark Robinson.

Jarryd Roughead is expected to miss the rest of the 2016 season. Picture: Michael Klein

WE WRITE and talk about football as if it’s life or death.

When statements such as Hawthorn’s on Tuesday, which revealed Jarryd Roughead faces another cancer battle, land, it makes everyone take a step back.

Football is big business: Cut-throat, passionate and competitive.

On behalf of everyone at the Herald Sun, good luck Roughy.

And it’s fun.

But it’s not something Roughead, his family and the greater Hawthorn family, were feeling on Tuesday. Nor the rest of us.

“Jarryd’s health is the most important issue at this time,’’ Hawks head of football Chris Fagan said.

“His long-term playing future is very-much secondary to that and is not even a consideration at this point in time.”

The club said he would be away for an “indefinite period”.

He won’t play again this year. He may not play for Hawthorn ever again.

Jarryd Roughead missed the first eight weeks with a knee injury. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

The impact of Roughead missing the premiership campaign will be considered, but it isn’t important.

Before us is a 29-year-old man, newly married, who will undergo a biopsy to determine the best form of treatment.

The Hawks revealed it was a recurrence of melanoma, which was surgically removed last year.

CANCER BATTLE: ROUGHEAD WON’T PLAY THIS YEAR

After the operation, he underwent treatment at the Peter MacCallum Centre, where he was in recovery with several cancer patients.

“It is a real eye-opener at Peter Mac to see how bad it can get, and what your life can become if you’re not really careful, or just bloody unlucky,” he told the Sunday Herald Sun last month.

It’s a horrible subject — and many people have confronted similar situations — because the very word “cancer” scares everyone.

I love @jr3502 (Jarryd Roughead) Please send him positive messages with his melanoma battle 🙏👊

— Shane Crawford (@SCrawf9) May 17, 2016

Thinking of big Roughy! @jr3502 One of the best blokes in football!! #fingerscrossed

— steve johnson (@Steviejohnson20) May 17, 2016

Thoughts are with @jr3502 and his family after the sad news! All the best mate!

— Michael Hibberd (@M_Hibberd1) May 17, 2016

Best wishes from all of us at The Kennel, big fella. Get well. 👊 https://t.co/E8hhH9QPRk

— Western Bulldogs (@westernbulldogs) May 17, 2016

Best wishes to roughy and his family , hope you are back up and going again very soon mate

— dayne beams (@beama9) May 17, 2016

Get well Roughie! @jr3502

— Mitch Clark (@mitchjclark) May 17, 2016

Clearly, football is way off the radar.

In January, at a sportsman’s night in the seaside town of Inverloch, where he was supporting close friends to help raise money for the local footy club, Roughead looked fit, healthy and sounded hungry for the season ahead.

And, yes, he even entertained the thought a fourth flag, before adding with typical Roughy humour: ”Don’t quote me on that.”

A fortnight later, he went in for a knee operation, which has sidelined him since, and then came Tuesday’s news.

The torment for cancer sufferers is absolute.

One moment, life is tracking smoothly, the next it gets a curve ball.

Jarryd Roughead (back) with four-time premiership teammates (from left) Cyril Rioli, Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Grant Birchall and Luke Hodge Picture: Wayne Ludbey

In Roughy’s case, he’s taking marks and kicking goals and winning flags at the MCG, in complete control, and now, for the moment at least, he’s lost that control

Tuesday, the support within the AFL community was immediate, without the community really knowing the extent of the battle Roughy has ahead of him.

Football clubs tweeted their best wishes, opposition players the same and former teammates followed suit.

Thoughts are with one of the best blokes in the game @jr3502 , Sarah & family. Get well soon ledge!!

— Sam Fisher (@SamFisher25) May 17, 2016

Best of luck to @jr3502 fantastic person and footballer.

— Jay Schulz (@Jschulz28) May 17, 2016

Really terrible news for @jr3502! Hopefully he can be back to full health really soon!

— Phil Davis (@phildavis_1) May 17, 2016

From everyone at North Melbourne, sending our best wishes to Roughy for a full recovery @jr3502 https://t.co/evM7141QII

— North Melbourne (@NMFCOfficial) May 17, 2016

That’s also what football is about.

It’s fiercely contested, yet amazingly caring when someone is in trouble.

Roughy would probably be embarrassed by the warmth on offer, but it’s important he knows he has plenty of people in his corner.

On behalf of everyone at the Herald Sun, good luck Roughy.