HAWTHORN is focused on getting back to normal as quickly as possible in the wake of Jarryd Roughead's new melanoma battle, but coach Alastair Clarkson remains unsure how his "shocked" players will respond against the Sydney Swans on Friday night.
The Hawks announced on Tuesday Roughead had suffered a reoccurrence of melanoma, with the four-time premiership player now facing months of treatment and ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Clarkson told reporters on Thursday morning it had been hard to gauge the mood of the Hawks' players ahead of the game at the MCG on Friday night.
But the Hawks coach said Roughead, more than anyone, was determined that his teammates got their mind back on their quest for a fourth consecutive premiership as soon as possible.
"They've been shocked like the footy world has been, particularly because it's a close mate of theirs and a teammate, the reality that he's not going to be running out with them for the rest of this season is probably pretty disappointing for them and obviously disappointing for Rough," Clarkson said.
"But the hard part about this in a sense is you half feel guilty that you need to move on with your life.
"Everyone wants to just stop and take a breath and have great empathy for their plight, but for both Rough and (his wife) Sarah and our footy club we need to forge ahead, and that includes playing a game against Sydney tomorrow night."
Clarkson confirmed Cyril Rioli would return to the Hawks' team against the Swans after missing last round's clash against Fremantle to visit an ill family member in the Northern Territory.
He also said Roughead would more than likely attend Friday night's game, partly to reinforce the message he delivered to the playing group on Tuesday that life must go on as he undergoes treatment.
"He's been an important part in the last two or three days in the way that our players have been able to address this issue too, and we're really fortunate that he's taken that sort of approach to it," Clarkson said.
Clarkson said counselling services were routinely in place for any Hawks players who required them, but no extra sessions had been scheduled in the wake of Roughead's shocking news.
Once Roughead's treatment program allowed, Clarkson said Hawthorn would find an off-field role for the two-time All Australian.
"We think it's important that he returns to some sort of normality and part of that will be around this footy club. This is where his extended family is in a sense, where all his best mates are," Clarkson said.
"But he's got a surgery that he needs to address in the next week or so.
"Beyond that we'll just see how he's feeling and what the program is from that point in time in terms of his treatment.
"But we want him here and that's what he wants too and it's certainly what Sarah wants as well."
