By Sam McClure
Mystery surrounds the short-term future of star Western Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, with neither the club nor his management sure if he will attend the Bulldogs’ week-long training camp at Noosa next week.
The club attempted to clarify the situation on Tuesday afternoon, telling media that the star forward is “undertaking flexible training arrangements” as he deals with personal issues. The 22-year-old has barely been sighted at the club’s headquarters since the start of December.
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has missed much of the Bulldogs’ pre-season.Credit: Getty Images
Two sources close to the situation, who wanted to remain anonymous because of its sensitive nature, said while Ugle-Hagan has barely trained at the club this pre-season, he has been seen working out at a boutique gym in Hawthorn, sometimes alongside captain Marcus Bontempelli.
This masthead approached both Ugle-Hagan’s manager Robbie D’Orazio and the club and asked whether he would attend the club’s pre-season training camp, which begins on Friday week in Noosa. Neither would comment publicly, but a club spokesperson said the Bulldogs were “hopeful he would attend.”
The club released a statement on Tuesday afternoon saying Ugle-Hagan had the backing of the football program to train away from the club.
“The Western Bulldogs can confirm that forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is currently undertaking flexible training arrangements as he deals with personal issues,” the statement said.
“With the endorsement of the football program, Jamarra has alternated his training between Whitten Oval and away from the club. The club continues to provide its full support to Jamarra and remains in constant contact with him, his family and his management.
“With Jamarra’s health and wellbeing of paramount importance, the club requests that his privacy be respected during this period.”
Ugle-Hagan has kicked 103 goals in his first four seasons at AFL level, including a career-high 43 in 2024.
However, he has faced his challenges.
The former No.1 overall draft pick was made to wait until round 17 of his first year before making his debut against Sydney.
Three club sources, speaking anonymously at the time, said that coach Luke Beveridge was keen to make the star junior earn his spot at AFL level.
He also missed two games in 2023 as he dealt with a death in the family.
“I suppose when any player just takes a little bit of time out of the game that’s a difficult question to answer [if he was coping OK]. So I can’t really tell you exactly how he is,” coach Luke Beveridge said during the forward’s absence.
“In the game and the pressures of it, everyone, every player, and every club across the land is always dealing with something, you know, as far as external scrutiny and the internal expectations and ’Marra is no different.
“We’ll just look after him and hopefully he can play some footy again soon, but that’s not the priority at the moment.”
Ugle-Hagan went goalless in his last two games of last season, including a four-disposal performance in the elimination final loss to Hawthorn, when he kicked just one behind.
He signed a two-year contract extension in May of last year, keeping him at the Kennel until the end of 2026.
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