Western Bulldogs interim footy boss Sam Power on Jamarra Ugle-Hagan playing in 2025
The Western Bulldogs are ‘really hopeful’ star forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan will have an impact this year – but, as interim footy boss Sam Power explains, that isn’t the club’s focus right now.
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The Western Bulldogs are still “really hopeful” Jamarra Ugle-Hagan can be a key part of their forward line this year as his chances of featuring in the opening rounds of the season continue to dwindle.
The forward remains on what has been termed a “flexible” training program, and has been in and out of the club this pre-season.
Interim Dogs footy boss Sam Power said on Thursday that Ugle-Hagan’s personal issues were “not new challenges” and “have been present for a little bit”.
He will not head with his teammates for a camp in Noosa on Friday and appears long odds to be considered to play in pre-season matches.
Power said the Dogs were working to help Ugle-Hagan through personal issues without pressing to get him back ready to play round 1.
“At the moment the focus is really on the short term with him and the support,” Power told SEN.
“We are really hopeful that he still plays an important role during 2025 and we want to set him up medium to longer term. That is clearly the aim of the club is to have jamarra back playing, whenever that is and have him excelling on field.”
Given Ugle-Hagan has missed much of the crucial post-Christmas weeks of pre-season training, Power said he was “clearly” going to start from a way back should he return to the kennel full time.
“Clearly because he is in a more flexible arrangement and he hasn’t been at training full time with the playing group there is a conditioning (component) and having your body prepared for afl football,” he said.
Power said star ruck Tim English was recovering well from abdominal bruising and should play in a match simulation hit out against Essendon on February 15.
Forward Aaron Naughton will play some minutes in an intra-club hitout in Noosa on Sunday after carefully building his loads this summer.
Norm Smith medallist Jason Johannisen will miss potentially three months of football after hamstring surgery, taking his absence through the opening rounds of the season.
Southport VFL star Brayden Crossley is expected to play in that hitout and could challenge Werribee VFL jet Dom Brew for the final sport on the Bulldogs list.
And Power confirmed mature draftee Sam Davidson has caught the eye of coaches in his first pre-season at the club, with the adaptable runner a potential cover for Ugle-Hagan in the forward line for round 1.
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Originally published as Western Bulldogs interim footy boss Sam Power on Jamarra Ugle-Hagan playing in 2025
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