Time On: Rory Lobb defends Jamarra Ugle-Hagan amid wild rumours
Western Bulldogs star Rory Lobb has come to the defence of his troubled teammate Jamarra Ugle-Hagan as rumours swirl about an ugly clash between the pair.
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‘All those rumours aren’t true’: Lobb defends Ugle-Hagan
Western Bulldogs star Rory Lobb has come to the defence of his troubled teammate Jamarra Ugle-Hagan amid ongoing rumours of behavioural issues.
Some of the rumours doing the rounds include Ugle-Hagan trashing Lobb’s home when he lived with him for a short time, and another about an ugly clash between the pair.
On a post on social media platform TikTok Lobb responded to a follower who asked why he doesn’t like Ugle-Hagan.
“I do like Jamarra, all those rumours aren’t true,” Lobb replied.
Ugle-Hagan, 22, has had an interrupted pre-season with reports he won’t be considered to play until he has fixed fractured relationships at the club.
It was revealed by the Herald Sun the club had concerns around the former no. 1 draft pick’s state of mind before last year’s elimination final.
On television this week both James Hird and Eddie McGuire implored Ugle-Hagan not to waste his career.
“If you’ve lost the trust of the coach and the captain, it sounds like there’s no coming back,” Hird said on Footy Classified.
McGuire added: “Last year in the finals he was out and about before the Western Bulldogs played Hawthorn (in an elimination final). Got four touches in that game.
“Coach was absolutely filthy, captain was absolutely filthy.
“And he’s had a big summer off the field.
“Some say maybe they need to put a red rope out the front of Whitten Oval to get him to turn up.
“I’m being hard on him because I’ve really liked Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and I’m watching a kid just ruin his opportunity for something that’s never going to come around again.”
Bomber back on podcast despite ‘stinker’
Essendon ruckman Sam Draper has returned to his podcast after admitting he had a “stinker” last year.
Draper became embroiled in controversy after making comments about the Western Bulldogs.
It’s believed it was put to Draper whether he needs to be doing the 200 Plus Podcast, alongside Ten journalist Nick Butler and North Melbourne defender Charlie Comben. But he is continuing because he enjoys having an outlet outside footy.
“I had a stinker didn’t I,’’ Draper said on the podcast’s first episode back this week.
“It’s been good to go into the off season injury free and feeling good. Nice to not be under an injury cloud like I have been for the last kind of two years. I haven’t missed a session.”
Draper admitted he got his first taste of “post pod anxiety” after making a bold declaration in May that some Western Bulldogs players will leave if Luke Beveridge remains as coach.
“I’ve got a big call about the Doggies... if Bevo (coach Luke Beveridge) is still there there’ll be some players requesting trades,’’ he said.
Draper didn’t name names but Butler suggested Bailey Dale, Caleb Daniel and Jack Macrae who had been playing in the VFL. Draper also said about out of contract star Bailey Smith: “He’s gone, everyone knows that.”
It’s also been reported by the Herald Sun that Draper will resist interest from Adelaide and re-sign a longer term deal to stay with the Bombers. Stay tuned.
New role for footy champion
Footy great Joel Selwood is joining 3AW as a commentator.
The Geelong legend will be part of his first game for the broadcaster on March 15 when Geelong takes on Fremantle at home.
He will feature as an expert commentator on Thursday nights and Sunday afternoons. He’s also on Channel 7.
Meanwhile former Seven sports reporter Laura Spurway has landed a new gig.
She was let go by the network a few weeks ago and is now also joining 3AW Football as its first dedicated AFLW reporter, and working across AFL.
Spurway’s exit ruffled some feathers with respected sports presenter Abbey Gelmi also parting ways with Seven.
New year, old beef
Footy Classified wasted no time taking a swipe at a broadcast rival in its first show of the new season.
Showing there’s lingering tension after Seven’s poaching raid of Channel 9’s footy team, the program began with a spicy monologue from new host Sam McClure.
Channel 7’s rival show, ambitiously named The Agenda Setters, and featuring former Nine identities Craig Hutchison, Caroline Wilson and Kane Cornes, gave their rivals — Footy Classified and Fox Footy’s AFL 360 — a free run at the new season, by pushing back their first show until next Monday.
And while AFL 360 took the high road, Footy Classified didn’t hesitate to make some pointed comments.
“There have never been more stories brewing in the build up to a footy season, meaning there have never been more reasons to watch the show that set the footy agenda for the best part of two decades.”
“... if all that wasn’t enough, well there’s no free to air footy on Saturdays,’’ McClure said.
It was a clear shot at Channel 7, who won’t be broadcasting any football on Saturdays, with Fox Footy the only station broadcasting AFL matches on Saturdays.
Fox Footy’s rebooted AFL360 program with Gerard Whateley and new co-host Garry Lyon also launched on Monday, ahead of On the Couch with new host Jack Riewoldt, joined by Nathan Buckley, Jonathan Brown and Jordan Lewis.
Cornes upsets sandgroper
One of Kane Cornes’ new Channel 7 colleagues has taken a swipe at the footy shock jock on X.
Cornes raised the ire of Ryan Daniels, a Channel 7 sports presenter in Perth, when he a posted about Fremantle star Luke Jackson’s rumoured interest in a trade back to Melbourne.
List of the people NOT to listen to regarding this story.
— Kane Cornes (@kanecornes) March 3, 2025
-Any Fremantle employee
-Any WA media members who are petrified of the home clubs
-Any person who thought paying 2 rucks a large slice of the cap until 2030 was a good idea https://t.co/JJ9kqNw38K
Flying the flag for the west, Daniels replied with a “LIST of things TO consider” including a defence of local reporters and a dig at Cornes.
“Don’t mistake being informed with being fearful.”
Daniels also took issue with Cornes’ assessment of Jackson as a ruck.
“Jackson was BOG yesterday – he didn’t play in the ruck. He’s not a ruck.”
Cornes has had beef with Seven colleagues including Dale Thomas, Matthew Richardson and Trent Cotchin who has now departed the footy team.
BT has no time for haters
One of footy’s most polarising commentators, Brian Taylor says he’s developed a thick skin as he prepares to call more footy than ever this season.
“Shit yeah, absolutely you do in this industry,’’ the former Collingwood forward says of the need to block out noise.
“You can only listen to the people that are in your group really. You can’t be listening to outside noises. A bit like the players, if I were to listen to what people thought about me I’d never get to the footy. All I’ve got to be sure of is I’m doing the right thing by everyone in my team and if that’s working then it’s full steam ahead.”
Taylor moves from Friday night to Thursday nights, plus Sundays on Seven and will call for radio Triple M on Friday nights and Saturdays. He says it’s wife Tania who is his most important critic.
“Football is such a subjective thing,’’ Taylor said.
“Bloody hell, I could sit here now and we all like 10 different commentators or we all like 10 different players, that’s what football is, it’s very subjective and there are no right or wrongs.
“We all cop it. We absolutely all cop it but I’ve got to the point now, I have a thick skin. I’ve seen other people do this in the same job that I’ve had and I’ve learnt from them that that’s the way to go.
“You have to have a thick skin, you can’t be reactive or emotional to it. I won’t say it’s all smooth sailing, it can get you down occasionally. That’s why the reassurance (comes) when you go home and your wife’s there giving you an honest opinion of how you went that day. And she’ll say to me, you were shithouse today or you were good today. I know I’m getting an honest opinion of where I was.”
Taylor’s Roaming Brian segment will move with him to Thursday nights on Seven. He is calling alongside Hamish McLachlan with special commentators Kane Cornes, Nick Riewoldt and Luke Hodge, plus Rebecca Maddern as host.
“We’ve got a team that is incredibly good and incredibly hungry to do well,” Taylor said.
“I love working and I love football so for me I can’t get enough of it, that’s why I’ve taken on an extra game this year. In a commentator’s position the more games you do, you get better at your job. To be seeing eight teams every weekend live at the games and then another couple on the TV as well. It gives you a really good feel of the players and what each team is up to.”
Ed takes a back seat to McClure
The new Channel 9 promo for its new look Footy Classified programs raised some eyebrows across the industry last week.
Most notably it was the front and centre positioning of the show’s Monday night host Sam McClure which grabbed all the attention ahead of its return tonight.
He’s flanked by the Tuesday night host Eddie McGuire, but it’s been labelled a “bloody Sam McClure promo” by Craig Hutchison, the former Monday night host, and now host of rival show, The Agenda Setters, on Channel 7.
“Sam dominates the promo,” Hutchison said on his podcast, The Sounding Board, alongside co-host Damian Barrett.
Barrett will be part of the Monday night program alongside Jimmy Bartel and Matthew Lloyd.
“You’ve got this amazing asset in Matthew Lloyd. You and Jimmy look like intruders in that promo, you look like you’re at the back going ‘I’m over here’. And Sam McClure has got all the hang time,” Hutchison told Barrett.
Hutchison joked that McGuire had taken his eye off the ball.
“In 30 years I haven’t seen him take his eye off a promo like that,’’ he said.
“It looked like Sam McClure actually took home the vision and cut the promo himself.”
On his Tradies Podcast, alongside Seven’s football reporter Mitch Cleary, McClure did admit slight embarrassment when it was put to him by Cleary that it was “a bit of me time”.
“Yeah I was, I was uncomfortable,’’ McClure said.
Funnily enough the promo was written by McGuire.
Huddle shuffle
Triple M’s Friday Huddle is making moves.
The show will still be the lead in to Friday night footy, featuring Mark Howard, Nathan Brown, Damian Barrett and Jason Dunstall, but it will only be heard from 4-7pm before the footy commentary team comes on, led by Brian Taylor and Jack Heverin.
The program which last year included Luke Darcy, now retired, previously featured Chris Judd.
Peek inside the nest
Hawthorn captain James Sicily says we’ll be seeing a “raw and authentic” snapshot of the club’s pre-season this week.
Full Sweat, a 90 minute doco produced by Seven, will air on Wednesday night after The Front Bar.
“We are used to having cameras on all of the time so nothing has really changed from what we would normally do in the pre-season. I’m sure what you will see is a raw and authentic snapshot of our club and the personalities within it,’’ Sicily said.
“We see this doco as an opportunity give something back to our members and fans. We play to make them proud and hope the behind-the-scenes access can only strengthen their connection to what we do as we look forward to a big season ahead.”
Originally published as Time On: Rory Lobb defends Jamarra Ugle-Hagan amid wild rumours
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