Alastair Clarkson has refused to buy into speculation about his skipper’s playing future, saying any discussions will not commence until season’s end.

While the coach concedes Jarryd Roughead’s form may not have reached his own lofty standards in 2018, the Hawks’ captain remains an important contributor both on and off the field. 

“He’s still contracted and we’re really keen to see out contracts where we possibly can,” Clarkson said during his pre-match press conference on Friday morning.

“His form wouldn’t have been to the standard that he would have liked throughout the course of the year but, having said that, his second half against the Bulldogs only a week ago was first class. 

“Roughy is just one of about a dozen other players who needs to play better than he did last week (against Brisbane).”

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Clarkson said any conversations about contracts won’t start until the end of the 2018 season, with a return to finals the Hawks’ sole focus at present. 

“We haven’t even spoken about (Roughead’s future) and we probably won’t until later in the year.

“We’re hoping we can put some solid form together, get some wins, get ourselves into the finals and then we’ll talk about it at the end of the year.

“He’s still got a year to go (on his contract), so it’s not something we’re really thinking about now, we just want to focus on this week against Carlton.”

In the absence of rebounding defender James Sicily (broken scaphoid), the Hawks will be forced to make some on-field changes this week, with Clarkson considering throwing Roughead down back.

“We know he’s capable of playing in different parts of the ground, he’s gone into the midfield for us over the course of the last five or six years too. 

“We’ll work that out as the game unfolds.”