‘Hard to understand’: Young gun’s future in doubt as unrest over Dogs absence revealed
There is growing unrest surrounding Western Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan with his absence raising eyebrows.
AFL
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There is growing doubt around whether Western Bulldogs star forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan will be ready to go for round one, as he continues to be absent during pre-season training sessions.
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Ugle-Hagan has been seen sporadically at Whitten Oval since the Bulldogs returned to pre-season training in November.
SEN’s Sam Edmund is describing it as a “complex situation”, highlighting that Ugle-Hagan and the Dogs are navigating wellbeing issues surrounding the star forward.
“There is uncertainty at the Western Bulldogs over the immediate playing future of Jamarra Ugle-Hagan,” he said on SEN Breakfast.
“Ugle-Hagan’s complicated situation is not new ground for the Dogs, with the club last year working through some challenges during an otherwise productive season for the emerging 22-year-old.
“But those challenges are proving increasingly difficult for some sections of the side to understand.”
“There has to be concern, if there’s concern over his immediate playing future, if he’s rarely training, if he’s no certainty to attend a pre-season camp. When it is a team sport, you want to feel like everyone is pulling their weight,” former Port Adelaide player Kane Cornes replied.
“If you’re alluding to the fact his teammates are now starting to have a level of frustrating or questions, then that’s an issue.
“You can’t hide. If he hasn’t done much work… then this is going to be a real issue for his body.”
While it is believed that Ugle-Hagan has been maintaining his fitness by completing personal sessions away from the club, whether or not he attends the club’s pre-season camp to Queensland remains up in the air.
The Herald Sun are reporting that Ugle-Hagan’s Western Bulldogs teammates are keen to support the forward but are unsure where his immediate playing future lies and that “key figures inside the club have held some previous concerns over his off-field lifestyle”.
Ugle-Hagan’s availability for the Indigenous All Stars match on February 15 is also unclear.
Ugle-Hagan has been on a steady incline throughout his AFL career, booting a career-high 43 goals last season.
He signed a two-year extension back in May last year, tying him to the Kennel until the end of 2026.
The Bulldogs are expected to provide an update on Ugle-Hagan’s complex personal situation and his immediate playing future in coming days.
Originally published as ‘Hard to understand’: Young gun’s future in doubt as unrest over Dogs absence revealed
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