Jarryd Roughead couldn’t be more Hawthorn.
A vice-captain and three-time premiership player, his leadership, off-field demeanor and style of play is the embodiment of everything Hawthorn stands for.
The brown and gold stripes of the Hawks are as part of him as he is of them.
While it’s a match made in heaven and thankfully so, Hawthorn and Jarryd Roughead almost never met.
Think Jarryd Roughead in yellow and black. Can you see it?
He can. He could. And so could they.
10 years ago, when a young man from Leongatha in country Victoria was rated as one of the top prospects in the 2004 AFL National Draft, Roughead thought he was to become a Tiger.
In fact, he told everyone shortly before the draft he was about to become a Richmond player.
“I had my school graduation the night before and had a phone call from Greg Miller who was the Richmond General Manager (of Football) at the time,” Roughead told hawthornfc.com.au
“He said we’re going to take you at pick four tomorrow, so I was pretty happy telling all my school mates I was going to Richmond.”
10 years on and we know that never happened.
Instead, on draft day 2004 after the Tigers selected utility Brett Deledio as the number one overall pick, Roughead unexpectedly heard his name next.
With the second overall selection, Hawthorn, a team he had barely had dialogue with in the lead-up to his big moment called his name.
“I drove up (to Melbourne) pretty early on draft day and the first pick was Deledio and the second pick was me,” he recalled.
“It really didn’t hit home for a while.
“I looked dad and he said ‘well that wasn’t meant to happen’ and I said ‘yeah you’re right.’
“I had spoken to them at draft camp and had had a chat after that but I had read all the reports that Richard Tambling was coming to Hawthorn – apparently he was staying with ‘Bucky’ (recruiter and former Hawk Gary Buckenara).”
But Roughead was a Hawk and soon after, he was about to be joined by two players he already knew and had relationships with.
Those two guys go by the names Lance Franklin (pick five) and Jordan Lewis (pick seven).
“Within 12 hours I thought I was going to Richmond but ended up at Hawthorn with two blokes I knew growing up,” Roughead said.
“A great friendship started from there and then obviously coming here was unreal.”
Jarryd Roughead fronts the media with Coach Alastair Clarkson and new teammate Lance Franklin after being drafted by Hawthorn.
It was a shock for Roughead obviously, thinking one way and then reality going the other.
In his mind, he had to quickly swap the yellow and black of Richmond for the brown and gold of Hawthorn.
And we’re thankful every day he did.
Hawthorn’s trio of top picks – Roughead, Franklin and Lewis - would become a key part to newly-appointed coach Alastair Clarkson’s grand plans and eventually net the Hawks two premierships – in 2008 and 2013 – and another in 2014.
Roughead has lived that success, something not even he dreamed of when his hope of becoming an AFL player was realised.
Of course, when the unbelievably versatile for his size Hawk joined the Club, it was barely a shadow of the Hawthorn we know today.
Taking a step back to think about how his life has panned out in the 10 years since his draft shock, Roughead is thankful and almost emotional thinking about his road well-travelled.
“Looking back now, it has probably been the best thing that has ever happened to me,” Roughead said.
“(And) I am very thankful I’m still here.
“If anyone thought we were going to win three flags from where we were 10 years ago they would have probably laughed at us back then.
“To see the change over the time and what the Club has been able to turn themselves into in terms of the culture and just how we carry ourselves as players and staff upstairs, property stewards and guys like that, you couldn’t ask for a better place to come to or be at.
“Three flags – not many players can say they’ve done that and we’ve got six blokes who have played in the three and 17 who have doubled up.”
