HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson has revealed he’s already had a blunt conversation with skipper Jarryd Roughead about his future that was similar to past chats with Jordan Lewis and Sam Mitchell — and Clarkson admits Roughead could follow in the same footsteps.

Roughead is contracted to the end of the 2019 AFL season, but there’s been ample speculation the Hawks veteran could either retire or be let go by the Hawks at the end of the club’s 2018 campaign.

Intriguingly, it’s a similar situation to what Lewis and Mitchell found themselves in 2016, with Clarkson encouraging both four-time premiership players to explore all footy options.

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Ultimately, Lewis would join Melbourne — and is now on the verge of the club’s first finals campaign in 12 years — while Mitchell would join West Coast, where he’s now a full-time assistant coach.

Asked on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 if he wanted Roughead to stay, Clarkson said: “Yeah, yeah.”

But Clarkson then revealed he’d had a blunt chat with Roughead, who had several options on the table. And he’s encouraging the 31-year-old to explore all options.

“We’ve had exactly the same discussion with him in the last six weeks as what I had with Jordan and Sam,” Clarkson told AFL 360.

“Rough’s got about six options in front of him. One is not to play at all, another is to go to another club and do what Sam and those guys have done, another is just to stay at Hawthorn, another is, if he stays at Hawthorn, what does that look like for him? Is it an assistant coaching type?”

Roughead managed 29 goals from 20 home and away games for the Hawks this season.

Clarkson said he expected Roughead to stay at the Hawks, but didn’t specify in what capacity.

“Where is his future? Just like we did with (Luke Hodge) and Jordan and also Mitch, we’re talking about what does it look like for the next six years, not what’s it just look like for the next 12 months,” Clarkson said.

“We’ve had that discussion and I think it’s more likely that he’ll stay at the Hawks and start putting some things together for what it looks like for post-footy.”

7Mate’s Talking Footy reported on Monday night that Clarkson and Roughead caught up over a few beers to nut out Roughead’s next steps.

Roughead confirmed he’d discussed his future with his coach of 14 years.

“Clarko and I are great friends, so we have chats all the time in regards to form on the weekend, team structure, what happens next year … we’ve had discussions about it,” Roughead told Talking Footy.

“Going forward over the next couple of years, we’re going to have those chats. Whether it be two weeks ago or over pre-season and even next year, it’s probably best that you have those chats rather than just think you get to the end of the year and it’s just ‘righto, that’s it’.”

Jarryd Roughead of the Hawks and senior coach Alastair Clarkson speak to the media.

Roughead admitted that he hasn’t dealt with speculation over his form and possible retirement as well as what he would’ve liked/

“It’s the first time I’ve had that type of criticism,” Roughead said.

“Normally footy players, because we’ve had some success, you’re probably used to having pump-ups your whole career. Then finally when you come towards the back-end of your career, you’re going to have questions asked.

“I didn’t probably deal with it the way I should have. I guess you understand that’s part of what is footy and when you start to come towards the end of your career.”