Hawthorn ruckman Jarryd Roughead felt like he had been kicked by a Geelong opponent when he ruptured his Achilles tendon, ending his AFL season.

"I just heard it pop," Roughead told the Nine Network's Footy Show on Thursday night.

"I thought I saw James Kelly behind me so I've gone to turn around and say `why did you kick me?' but no one was there.

"It feels like you have been kicked in the back of the calf.

"As soon as I knew no one was there I knew what happened. I basically just fell to the ground and asked for the stretcher."

Roughead, who collapsed like he'd been shot while attempting to sprint to a ruck contest in last Saturday night's loss to Geelong at the MCG, is confident he can come back in 2012 at full fitness.

This is despite former star forwards like Collingwood's Anthony Rocca and Melbourne's Russell Robertson finding it difficult to regain their high-leaping glory days after similar injuries.

"I'm 24 and those guys were older, I think they were both 29," Roughead said.

"I was lucky enough to get an email off Russ the other day to describe what different things worked for him, so that was good.

"You'll take any advice from people that have done it because it is so uncommon I suppose.

"I'm not going to rush it in any way. I want to get it right and have no problems with it again.

"If it's six to nine to 12 months, then that's what it will take."

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