AFL 2025: Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge on Jamarra Ugle-Hagan’s 2026 plans

The Western Bulldogs coach has responded to the trade talk linking one of his best forwards to a rival.

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has responded to the recent trade speculation surrounding absent star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.

Ugle-Hagan is on permanent personal leave from The Kennel and in a wellness retreat in a northern coastal town.

But the No.1 pick signalled a return on Tuesday night by uploading a video of him running and boxing to his highly publicised social media channels.

Ugle-Hagan was later reported on Channel 9 to be all but certain to be a Sydney Swan next year despite having a year to run on his contract with the Dogs.

Beveridge said he took all player movement speculation lightly and had seen no evidence to suggest Ugle-Hagan would be anywhere other than the Bulldogs in 2026.

“You take any speculation regards to any player with a grain of salt, the way we approach it – he’s our player,” he said.

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is on permanent personal leave. Picture: Michael Klein

“We will do our best to work out what’s right for him and look after him, I’ve got no thoughts that he won’t be here next year.”

Beveridge said Ugle-Hagan’s investment into his fitness was “a great sign” and hoped it had translated into an improved mental wellbeing.

“We’ve got to keep an open mind about his prosperity and his future,” he said.

“I am taking that as a positive, hopefully he’s, as I said, with the new challenges to going away and focusing on his own mental wellbeing in his life journey.

“Hopefully, he’s got some things in a bit more an order and that can propel him into his footy at some point – when that is, who knows, that might be a fair way away.”