Scarlett mentors Roughead at Dogs

Jordan Roughead at training. Picture: Jake Nowakowski Source: Herald Sun

JORDAN Roughead was recruited as a ruckman, then tried as a key forward, and at the end of last season his life changed again.

With Brian Lake off the scene, Roughead was to be transformed into a key defender.

"In my end-of-season review, I was told that it was likely I'd be down in the backline so be prepared to come back for pre-season and learn some new things," the 200cm Western Bulldog said.

"It's amazing how much is relevant as a forward that you can still use as a defender.

"Some people call it the 'men's department', some people say there's not much glory down there, but I love playing down there."

He's had a pretty handy mentor in the pre-season - recently retired triple premiership full-back Matthew Scarlett.

"You can't get much better, can you? A six-time All-Australian to teach you the tricks of the trade," Roughead said of the former Cat.

"The key things for me are just to compete the whole time.

"There's times where you're not going to be able to get there and spoil. There's times when you're going to lose your man in a pack, but just to compete as hard as you can and really attack the footy."

Going back is not completely foreign to the Ballarat native.

He played a few games at the end of last year in defence and as a junior at Lake Wendouree Football Club, he played full-back.

But a growth spurt put a stop to that.

"When you're six foot four as a 16-year-old, you're probably the tallest one out there, so they throw you in the ruck - that's what you do," he said.

Roughead played ruck with North Ballarat Rebels in the TAC Cup and was drafted at the end of 2008.

The 22-year-old had a disappointing start to his AFL career, injuring his shoulder during his first pre-season.

He didn't play a game in 2009 and had a reconstruction at the end of that year.

He played eight games before he injured the same left shoulder and was forced to have another reconstruction, missing the Western Bulldogs' 2010 preliminary final.

"It was shattering for me," Roughead said.

"I played a few games and unfortunately hurt it in, I think it was Round 22, and missed the finals - and we ended up in the prelim.

"It was a disappointing couple of weeks.

"But it's all good now. I haven't had any trouble with it for a couple of years."

Roughead became instant friends with Bulldogs ruckman Will Minson on arriving at Whitten Oval and he lived with another tall, Ayce Cordy, for 3 1/2 years.

"All big guys, we have to look after each other," he said.

"Will's a great fella, he's certainly one of my best mates at the footy club.

"He looked after me as a young bloke when I first came in."

He now lives with his 23-year-old brother Joel.

"He never played footy," he said.

"It's great, he certainly keeps my feet on the ground. He's happy to give me a clip around the ears when I need one."

Roughead is studying international business at RMIT and is learning guitar, inspired by his talented girlfriend Bridget Davies, who's a classical singer.

But Roughead doesn't join in the chorus.

"I've got an horrendous singing voice," he said, laughing.

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