JESSE Hogan should leave Melbourne and head home to Western Australia if it will make him happy after a torrid few years on the personal front, says retiring Demon Bernie Vince.
Hogan, 23, has again been linked to a potential move to Fremantle despite having a year to run on his current contract.
His recent challenges have included the passing of his father Tony in April last year, and just a month later, his own diagnosis of testicular cancer.
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He's also battled injuries over the past two years and missed the Demons' recent finals campaign because of a stress fracture in the navicular bone in his foot.
Vince said Hogan would leave Melbourne with "100 per cent" support from his teammates if it would make him happy.
"He's got to work out what's best for Jesse Hogan before anything else," Vince said on Monday at the Royal Melbourne Show, where he is appearing as an ambassador for the Greyhound Adoption Program.
"His footy will follow that. It's amazing, if people are happy, they play their best footy.
"He's got to look at what that best looks like, if it's in Melbourne or back home in Perth, then he'll go from there.
"He's been through a fair bit and through a lot of things that people never have to go through.
"He'll sort it out."
Complicating matters for the key forward is the successful relocation of Tom McDonald to attack and the emergence of young goal-kicker Sam Weideman in the second half of the season.
Vince moved clubs in 2013 after playing 129 games for Adelaide, before he added another 100 as a Demon.
Speaking after his own experience of moving clubs, he said Hogan had to consider what would be the best decision for him.
"He seems to be one who's spoken about this time of year every year," Vince said.
"The thing I'd say to Jesse is he needs to go away and think about what's best for him, because at the end of the day if you're not happy, you're not going to be playing your best footy.
"If he's happy at Melbourne, brilliant and we'd love him to stay, if not, he might have to look at different options.
"He's loved around the footy club so I'm sure it will work itself out."
Vince officially retired at the end of the season after a gallant and speedy fightback from surgery on his damaged shoulder.
He played VFL just five weeks after the operation to put himself in the selection frame for the Dees' preliminary final against West Coast.
He wasn't called up but did play in the Casey Demons' losing Grand Final the following day.
It is understood the 32-year-old won't seek to extend his playing career at a third club, but is working through the details of a potential role within the Demons.
He also has plans to remain in Melbourne and will pursue a career in real estate.
