Club doctor Zeeshan Arain says the prognosis is good for Demons star Jesse Hogan. Credit:Jason South Dr Arain described Hogan as very lucky and that his "hyper vigilant" state of mind following the recent death of his father due to cancer prompted him to approach Dr Arain after feeling a lump on his testicle late last week. Hogan did not play at the weekend due to illness. Hogan's father Tony died only weeks ago after a long battle with cancer.

In a statement on Tuesday morning, the club said: "The Melbourne Football Club wishes to advise that Jesse Hogan has been diagnosed with testicular cancer and will today undergo surgery to have the tumor removed. Jesse Hogan in action against Carlton in round two. Credit:Getty Images "Jesse underwent an ultrasound late last week which revealed a small mass in his testicle suggestive of a seminoma, which is a type of cancer. "Jesse has also undergone a CT scan which determined the cancer has not spread to any other part of his body

"It's important to reinforce that this was an extremely early detection and the seminoma is in its earliest stage of growth. He is expected to make a full recovery." Demons football general manager Josh Mahoney said the club had informed the players on Friday, and they have rallied around their teammate. He said Hogan was in good spirits, and watched their VFL team play on the weekend.

Australian Test wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer when he was 16 and had surgery, offered his support to the 22-year-old Demons star. "The positive is that I sourced a lot of people who had gone through it and I came out the other side. It probably took three to four months to really get out the other side and build your body back up," Wade told SEN. "The bad thing about chemotherapy, if Jesse goes through that, is that it basically shuts down your whole body so it takes an extended period of time to build yourself back up. Obviously to get back to where he wants to get to, is going to be a fair fight. "He's obviously got the people in the right places to get him back, but I think it's more of a mental thing – it was for me – to really get committed to go back out and have a crack," he said. Loading