Alastair Clarkson admits he is unsure how much more senior football Jarryd Roughead will play
Has Jarryd Roughead played his last senior game for the Hawks? Alastair Clarkson hopes not, but can’t guarantee the four-time premiership will be back in the seniors in 2019.
Hawthorn
Don't miss out on the headlines from Hawthorn. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson admits he is unsure how much more senior football Jarryd Roughead will play, but said he still had a significant role to help blood the team’s next generation this year.
After his shock axing from the Hawks’ side to face the Giants this weekend, Clarkson said he could not predict when Roughead would be back in the senior side.
Out of contract at the end of the year, Clarkson confirmed it was “unlikely” Roughead would play on beyond this season.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE SUPERFOOTY PODCAST
Clarkson said it had been a tough call to drop the premiership forward, but said it had to be made in the best interests of the football club.
But he hoped Roughead, who has played 281 games for the Hawks, would perform well enough at Box Hill to force his way back.
“Because he’s out of the side does that mean he’s not going to play again for Hawthorn? I hope not. I’d hope that he gets another chance,” Clarkson said.
“We don’t know (when he’ll be back). It will all depend on injuries and form and whether we’re winning or losing, there is a whole heap of variables and dynamics that go into it.
REVEALED: WHY BRIAN LAKE’S FOOTY DAYS ARE OVER
TEAMS SHOCK: FORMER HAWKS SKIPPER DROPPED TO VFL
SUPERCOACH: WILL DANGERFIELD PLAY AGAINST ROOS?
“I would be hopeful, he will play some (senior) footy. But is that next week, is it the week after, is it never again? I don’t know.
“All I know is that he’s in the back-end of his career and last week could have been his last game for the footy club, but I would hope that’s not the case because he has still got 15 games to go.
“But whatever happens in the next 15 games, he has got a significant contribution to make to our footy club no matter whether he plays seniors or Box Hill.
“That’s what we are searching for. The real key element of this is not what’s best for Jarryd Roughead or Alastair Clarkson, it’s what is best for the club.”
Roughead has kicked eight goals in seven games for the Hawks this season, but had just eight disposals in last week’s loss to the Demons after which Clarkson described the Hawks as a “middle of the road side” and flagged changes to their method and personnel.
But Clarkson said he had been having honest talks with Roughead since mid-way through last season about his future.
But he believed it had still been the right decision for Roughead to play on in 2019.
“He has still got an enormous role to play. He has taken a couple of those young fellas under his wing,’’ Clarkson said.
“He has got a really important role at our footy club for this 12 month period.
“It could be a lasting legacy that he leaves for our footy club, he’s an unbelievable icon of the club in terms of his contribution as a player.
“Now he is digging in and helping the footy club in a manner in terms of once he’s long gone, he’s going to be looking at the Mitch Lewis’ and the Connor Nash’s and say I helped those guys get going including sacrificing my spot in the side sometimes to help them get up as a player.
“This is about the next generation for our footy club and the next opportunity we get to challenge for silverware and what preparation can we be doing for that right now.”
Clarkson said he had been working with Roughead about how he can help make the transition to life after football after his decorated career at the club.
“He’s out of contract at the end of the year and I think it would be highly unlikely that he went on,’’ Clarkson said.
“He knows that standing that he has got in the footy club is one of enormous respect, the contribution that he made. He helped me, so I want to help him.”
Hawthorn takes over footy’s No.1 list
Three clubs have emerged from the 2024 season with the biggest stars in the AFL with a list of the top 50 players showing huge changes.
Trading places? How the biggest AFL deals will get done
Almost every AFL club is poised to get busy this trade period. See who your club is looking at, who they should be chasing and how they will get their deals done in our ultimate guide.