THIS Saturday night’s Field of Women event – before Melbourne hosts the Western Bulldogs at the MCG – holds even more significance for coach Paul Roos, after one of his friends and former colleague was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

Roos said the Field of Women event was important for all football fans – and the community at large – to support and he urged everyone to support the cause.

“You get involved – there’s no question, but on the night it’s hard to, but in the lead-up, [my wife] Tami’s going to be involved and we’ve done some functions and it’s super important,” he said.

“In the last week or so, one of my good friends from the Swans – and ex-Swans employee – has been diagnosed with breast cancer, so it hits home all the time with people.

“I think it’s just a fantastic cause and it’s great that footy clubs can bring people together like this to have 15,000 people on the MCG. Unfortunately that’s the number of people who get diagnosed every year, but I think it gives it some real mass and people look down and say ‘gee that’s a lot of people’.

“When you see 15,000 people, you think ‘that’s significant’. It’s a big moment for the club and for the people involved, and the coaches and players, even though we won’t be there [on the ground] we’re 100 per cent supportive of it.”