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Collingwood recruit Jordan Roughead looms as a crucial player in the AFL finals, having revived his career since leaving the Western Bulldogs.

Hailed by teammate Jordan De Goey as the AFL recruit of the year, Jordan Roughead came close to walking away from footy before reviving his career at Collingwood.

Roughead looms as a crucial player in Friday night's qualifying final against Geelong at the MCG, where he is set to resume hostilities with star Cats forward Tom Hawkins.

Just 12 months ago, his future was uncertain after a frustrating final season with the Western Bulldogs.

Roughead freely admits he lost his passion for the game, having won a premiership with the Dogs just two seasons earlier.

Desperate for a fresh start after a decade at Whitten Oval, Roughead found himself staring at a potential career change.

"I was unsure whether I had a future in football," Roughead told AAP.

"Form-wise, I didn't have a great year. My experience with the footy club I was in wasn't great and I didn't enjoy my football.

"There were a few (trade) options that popped up and then a few fell through, and I was almost ready to just move on with life."

Roughead spent the October trade period at home, putting off a holiday with his girlfriend until his future was settled.

A potential move to premiers West Coast didn't eventuate but fellow grand-finalists Collingwood eventually came knocking.

Roughead arrived at the Magpies in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick - a trade that now looks like a steal given his success across multiple positions.

"I think he's been probably recruit of the year, to be honest," De Goey told AAP.

"He's come in and kept some of the best forwards in the game goalless, played on Buddy (Franklin), played on all the key forwards and done really well."

Roughead admits he has "no idea" what he would have done if he had quit footy.

"It's an amazing industry and it's one that I've loved my journey in but it's also got its challenges," he said.

"I think it's really romanticised by the public, and often by the media as well, that all the people that are in footy clubs are living their dream. But you often don't see the hard work and the disappointment that goes into it as well."

Ultimately, Roughead felt he still had more to offer.

"I didn't want to get to the end and think in 10 years time 'maybe if I'd gone one more, I would have felt better about it'," he said.

"And now I've fallen back in love with the game, and I think that shows."