Roughy keen to play on
JARRYD Roughead will play on into a 14th season, adamant he has no intention of retiring at season’s end.
The Hawthorn captain said yesterday he was aware of criticism of his form but happy with his contribution this season.
Roughead has kicked 26.20 this year and even pinch-hit in the ruck against Carlton, showing off his versatility as the Hawks push for finals.
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson did not guarantee his future last week, saying he would sit down with Roughead later in the season.
But the 31-year-old, who missed the entire 2016 season recovering from cancer, says he is certain to play on next year. “Yep. I am contracted, so why would you give it up?’’ he said. “You hear the outside noise, that’s going to come with me being 31 and where the side is.
“But as long as I am still doing what I can on the weekend, it means I can still contribute to this side and play.
“I am only 31, it’s not as if I am long in the tooth. I have just got no hair and have had a couple of injuries over the last couple of years, so it’s getting used to playing at high speed.
Footy has changed a bit. I am not too concerned with what is being said in the outside world. It is part of footy, I understand that, but it’s easy to take pot shots from outside.”
Critics including Danny Frawley and Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney have bemoaned Roughead’s lack of spring as he tries to be part of Hawthorn’s list transition.
Roughead believes if he had kicked more accurately this year — 26.20 compared with last year’s 38.21 — there would be no room for criticism.
“I don’t know about a massive leap. It’s just the way we go inside 50. I could have got a couple of free kicks [against Jacob Weitering] that were there.
“That was just the rub of the green. I can play tall and small and it was a good sign that we are going in the right direction.”
Teammate Tom Mitchell has surged into $2 favouritism in the Brownlow Medal with TAB, but Roughead says the individual medal is irrelevant.
“Personally I don’t think you can have reunions with Brownlow Medal winners and, if you asked him, he would say the same thing,’’ he said.
“We are not in this game for individual awards, we never have been. As much as it’s pumped up in the outside world, it’s not about us getting him a Brownlow Medal, it’s not what it’s about.”
Hawthorn takes on Fremantle on Sunday at Optus Stadium, aware it needs to keep the foot on the pedal to make finals.
Shaun Burgoyne and Jaeger O’Meara are expected to be fit to take on the Dockers, with Ben McEvoy (cheekbone) still a month away.