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Members of the Jordan team react as they shake hands with members of the Australian team after their World Cup 2018 Qualifier at the Sydney Football Stadium, March 29, 2016. Reuters/David Gray

Jarryd Roughead remains sidelined after a cancerous melanoma was discovered during a routine check-up on Monday.

The Hawk’s player did not appear in the first eight rounds of the season because of his knee injury and surgery in February. He was expected to return in the second half of the season. The Guardian wrote that Roughead was back in training early this May and was recovering well.

Football manager Chris Fagan said Roughead went for a regular check-up on Monday and that was when the doctors discovered the melanoma.

“The positive is that it’s been picked up early and Jarryd is in the best hands possible,” Fagan said according to Herald Sun.

There is no predicted date or timeline for Roughead’s return to the field. Fagan emphasized that his health takes priority over his current career and the camp is entirely focused on doing what they can to help Roughead through. 9news reported that he went through this experience last year when he got the melanoma removed from his lip. Though he has dealt with the sickness once before, his friends and family hope that he still has the positive view that he had last year.

“I get PET scans done at the Peter MacCallum Centre, and when I see some of the people in there, I realize how lucky I am,” Roughead said in an interview with the Sunday Herald.

Support from family, friends, and fans poured in soon after news of Roughead's melanoma were confirmed.

Roughead has won four premierships and played 231 games for the Hawthorn Hawks since being drafted in 2004.

The Hawthorn Hawks is scheduled to play against the Sydney Swans on May 20, Friday.

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