The Hawks face their former superstar forward at the MCG on Saturday night for the second time since his unprecedented nine-year deal to move north to the Sydney Swans.
Buddy booted 2.7 against the Hawks in round eight, with both goals coming in the crucial final term as the Swans pulled away for a 19-point win.
Since then the mercurial star has taken the competition by storm.
He has kicked 33 goals in the past eight games – helping the Swans to 12 straight wins and to the top of the ladder – and is being mentioned as a Brownlow Medal contender.
A third Coleman Medal is also on the 27-year-old's radar. He's within striking distance, only five goals behind Port Adelaide's Jay Schulz on 52 with a match in hand.
Despite Franklin's imposing form, Roughead is confident the Hawks can get on top of their dual premiership teammate.
"A lot of people say he can be unstoppable, but it's a team thing," said Roughead, who will play his 200th game against the Swans.
"If you can put a lot of pressure on the mids kicking the ball to him, then (for) blokes like 'Schoey' (Ryan Schoenmakers), 'Spang' (Matt Spangher) and 'Gibbo' (Josh Gibson) it makes their job a lot easier."
While Franklin has shrugged off his early season malaise and is back kicking goals from beyond 60m, it's the 198cm star's contested marking that has been the most noticeable improvement in his game.
"It's good to see him playing really well," Roughead said. "A lot of people wrote him off and said he was past his best footy.
"But it's good to see him marking the ball and kicking some goals, which is what you want to see from players like that."
In a boost for Hawthorn, key defender Gibson is set to return from a torn pectoral suffered against the Swans in round eight to play on Franklin.
"No doubt (he can). If you guys had watched Gibbo the past few weeks at training he's definitely got that competitive edge back and he's not sore," Roughead said.
"He's one of those blokes that always enjoys the big challenges."
The third-placed Hawks could overtake the Swans on top of the ladder with a win on Saturday night, while victory for the Swans would all but cement a top-two finish.
Earning a home qualifying final could be crucial in Hawthorn's bid for back-to-back flags.
"Especially when you see the top two teams on the weekend are Freo and Sydney," Roughead said.
"You definitely want to get that home ground advantage because it does help."
The Hawks have won six of the past seven against the Swans at the MCG, but that one loss came in the 2012 Grand Final.
The Swans could welcome back full-forward Kurt Tippett (knee) for the clash, while Hawthorn should get Bradley Hill back from his own knee complaint for Roughead's milestone.
"To be here 10 years after you get drafted and to play 200 games now, it's a pretty good achievement," said Roughead, the No.2 pick in the 2004 NAB AFL Draft.
"But at the same time, we've got to win on Saturday night because it is a top spot that we're gunning for."
Roughead spoke to reporters at Glenferrie Oval on Monday at the official re-opening of the Hawks’ team store.
