Carlton cancer survivor Sam Rowe is all ears if AFL rival Jesse Hogan wants support.
It is five years since Rowe's successful treatment for testicular cancer - the same illness that has struck the Melbourne key forward.
Tests cleared Rowe two months after his diagnosis, with the Blues' defender going on to play 81 AFL matches since 2013.
"I have reached out to him and, no doubt, I'll have a chat to him at some stage," Rowe told the AFL website.
"When I was in a similar situation, I felt it was nice to talk to someone who'd been through it, so I'll certainly be there for Jesse, if and when he would like to talk.
"I've spoken to a lot of people since who haven't played footy and I think the footy's really irrelevant at this time ... it is important just to take stock and get on with it."
Rowe says Hogan has a lot to deal with, but the early signs are good.
"He's going to need some time just to get his head around it all and it's important he has good people around him and people who support him," Rowe said.
"It's funny - doctors say it all the time, that if you're going to get one, testicular (cancer) is the one you'd want to get because it is extremely treatable."
In a weird twist to the terrible bond that they now shared, Hogan was suspended earlier this season for striking Rowe.
"This is not about footy," Rowe said.
"This is about Jesse as a person and, absolutely, I hope and am sure he will be fine."
While Hogan told his teammates on Friday, the day after he was diagnosed, Rowe needed a couple of weeks.
"The hardest part for me probably was seeing my friends and family around me," he said.
"It's strange, in a way, because you're getting the treatment yourself and you sort of feel in control.
"No doubt, it would have been very tough (telling his teammates) ... he'd still be getting his head around it himself, so it's tough these days, because the media are onto him and he is such a big player."
