Roughead given the all clear

Hawthorn star Jarryd Roughead has been given the all clear by his doctor, and is free to resume a normal life, after beating cancer for the second time.

Roughead sat out the entire 2016 season as he underwent a 12-month course of immunotherapy treatment after a melanoma which had been cut from his lip in 2015 recurred in his lungs.

The four-time premiership player returned to training yesterday and today revealed that he is now cancer free.

“I’ve had a complete response from the treatment so far and (the doctor has) given me the all clear to get back into living a normal life," Roughead said.

“(I can) get back to doing the things I want which is playing footy ... he reassured me that things are all good and we can get back to living a normal life.

“A complete response means that the lumps and tumours have gone. The drugs have worked and killed off everything.

“The main thing is going back and getting surveillance every three months and that will continue for as long as we go. Each patient is different but this is the way that we’ve got to go.”

Despite Roughead being given the all clear to return to training, he stopped short of naming a possible return date to the senior side.

“I don’t think you can put a timeline on it straight away,” he said.

“We initially thought it was going to be June or July. To be able to say that we can get back into training and doing all of this again, we’re on the right path to playing footy again.

“We don’t want to put a round there because if we don’t get there then all the journos will have a bit of fun saying ‘what are you doing, you missed out on that!’”

The Coleman Medal winner said he was flattered at all he messages of support he had received throughout his treatment.

"We have a fair amount of letters to get through to get back to everyone," he said.

"You can't thank them enough. This wasn't a game of football where you have to pick a side. You know you have 100 per cent backing and when you have everyone in your corner you know you're going to get through it and that feels pretty good."