Roughy is a story of perspective, a must-read of 2020 that’s much more than a footballer’s tale.

This isn’t just the story of a sportsman, or one about that footballer with cancer. Roughy is the story of a man with a unique take on life; a grounded, take-it-or-leave it attitude that has led Jarryd Roughead to be part of AFL history.

After a typical country childhood, Jarryd was drafted by Hawthorn in 2004, playing for the Hawks for his entire 14-year, including their famous three-peat. In 2016 he was diagnosed with cancer, and while his treatment involved a clinical trial that saved his life, the side effects threatened his return to AFL. But not only did Roughy come back as good as ever, he captained the club he loved, and retired as a one-club man.

Reserves run down: A coach's summary of each player's game in our scratch match win on the weekend

Roughy is Jarryd’s journey, told through his eyes and some of his nearest and dearest, offering a frank insight into this four-time premiership winning legend and his life:

• The sporting gene that saw him essentially grow up at the Leongatha football ground, including representing Victoria in youth basketball before committing to footy.
• The road to being drafted into the AFL, including the honour of being part of the first ever VIC Country team to not win a single game at the national under-16 championships and the recruitment process; topped with the surprise of being drafted to Hawthorn when he was convinced he was going to Richmond.
• Winning four premierships during his career, Jarryd was a key player in a team of superstars that included Buddy Franklin, Sam Mitchell, Luke Hodge, Shaun Burgoyne and Cyril Rioli, and was part of Hawthorn’s historic 2013/14/15 three-peat - what made this team so strong and able to win back-toback-to-back premierships?
• Not wanting to be labelled ‘that footballer with cancer’ - the only way to shake that tag was to beat it. So he did.
• A candid insight to his cancer battle, all while living out of three rooms due to home renovation: the debilitating side effects of his treatment, and his determination to live as normal a life as he could, including supporting his teammates on their milestone achievements.
• The clinical trial that formed his successful treatment was not included on the PBS; it now is, and it has led to Roughy becoming an ambassador for clinical trials for the National Health and Medical research Council.
• 2019: the unhappiest year of his football life, also the last he spent on the field.
• What the sport of AFL has given him: not just a career, it’s given him friends for life, and wisdom and experience a young man from a country town might not have otherwise been exposed to, including Indigenous footballers who have made him a better person.

Featuring chapters from the perspective of people around him, including his cancer nurse, Donna Milne; oncologist Grant McArthur; wife Sarah Roughead; brother, Cam and best mate Jordan Lewis, Roughy isn’t just a memoir: it’s a lesson in dignity, humility and courage.

Pre-order NOW from HawksNest, available from Tuesday 4 August.