A DAY after undergoing a biopsy on his melanoma, Jarryd Roughead has told Jordan Lewis he wants to be there in Brisbane for his great mate’s 250th game on Saturday.

Roughead went under the knife on Monday, with friend Lewis visiting him at home before coming in for his regular appearance on AFL 360 on Tuesday night.

“He had the biopsy yesterday and he was a little bit sore but very positive,” Lewis said.

“I think that’s where we need to go from here. He’s done what he needs to do and us as a footy club and people around him really need to be positive, and help him through what’s going to be through a tough couple of months.”

Round 18

Despite the surgery Roughead told Lewis he wants to travel with the Hawks to Brisbane where Lewis will play his milestone game on Saturday afternoon.

Jarryd Roughead was at the MCG on Friday night to support his Hawks. Source: News Corp Australia

“He said he’s going to go to Brisbane and he wants to room with me,” Lewis said.

“I’ll have the footy under one arm and Roughy under the next.”

Lewis said he thought the Hawks were “taken aback” by the applause for Roughead in the second minute of the second quarter of Friday night’s loss to Sydney.

“The whole crowd really made a big noise and unfortunately for us as a team, once that minute of applause ended, we didn’t do anything for 15 minutes,” Lewis said.

“It was a great gesture. Roughy didn’t want it in a sense, he might’ve felt embarrassed or didn’t think it was needed.

“I think being there and being apart of it it was such a great thing for both sides of the fence.”

And as many suspected would be the case, during the game Lewis said he and his teammates were caught up thinking more about Roughead’s diagnosis than the match itself.

“There’s no doubt (it affected us),” Lewis said.

“It was a huge week and we probably haven’t had something like that close to us that was that big.

“You consciously try and tell yourself that when the game comes around, be ready to perform, but you just can’t help it. All your thoughts during the week are taken up by what’s going on.”

After the emotional week, by the time the Hawks got to the ground, they were already “mentally fatigued”, Lewis said.

“There are parts of the game where you’re not involved in the contest or near the ball and your mind does wander,” he explained.

“Usually it wanders to what you should be doing but I can honestly say my mind was wandering to things that happened during the week.”