Dogs still seek Jamarra ‘lightbulb moment’ amid fresh concerns in ‘almost unprecedented’ AFL scene

The Western Bulldogs are “despairing” at the lack of improvement in Jamarra Ugle-Hagan’s situation, with rising speculation over where he’ll play his footy in 2026.

Ugle-Hagan, whose contract is covered by AFLPA protections, hasn’t played this season amid a continued alternative training program due to his personal issues.

The forward understandably won’t be in Luke Beveridge’s selection considerations to replace the injured Sam Darcy, with bigger questions around which, if any, clubs will pursue the 23-year-old’s services at the end of the season.

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Herald Sun journalist Jon Ralph reported AFLPA rules regarding contracts means there’s a ‘protection’ on Ugle-Hagan’s deal, ensuring he’ll keep earning his roughly $800,000 salary.

And on Fox Footy’s On the Couch on Monday night, Ralph said Ugle-Hagan had still “not shown that he wants to be an AFL footballer”.

“The Dogs are despairing, six months on,” Ralph said.

“He barely trains with the club, he hangs with the same friends who are not conducive to an AFL career, he’s not really interested in the counsel from the likes of ‘Buddy’ Franklin or Eddie Betts.

“This is almost unprecedented in modern football, so the club is considering all kinds of options. They want a lightbulb moment.

“So, is it that they don’t pay him for some time or dock some of his pay? Is it an indefinite break from the game – would that help him or hinder him? They are open to all of those discussions.

“Because right now the real fear is not that he won’t return for the Bulldogs – I think they’ve given up all hope on that at the end of the year – it’s that not a single AFL club out there would be interested by the end of the season and he quite quickly could be lost to AFL football.

“It is a massive concern, not for the Dogs in terms of trade value, but for Jamarra Ugle-Hagan’s AFL future.”

AFL legend Leigh Matthews weighed in, calling it a “difficult situation” due to Ugle-Hagan’s sporadic attendance at the club.

“Luke Beveridge just has to think: ‘OK he’s on the list, but he’s virtually long-term injured.’ Don’t even consider him until he knows for certain he’s ready to play again,” Matthews told Fox Footy.

“So, the fact is there’s nothing much anyone can do — or certainly Luke Beveridge can do — except put him out of his thinking when he’s selecting the team.”

Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley added: “‘Bevo’ would’ve gone through everything he possibly could to try and redeem the young fella and help him and support him and pull him back towards the club and team as much as he possibly could.

“That’s obviously been spurned, for whatever reason, and at this stage Bevo is saying: ‘It’s with the AFL … he’s not our player at the moment, we don’t have the whip hand or active control.’”

The Bulldogs are holding out hope for a “lightbulb moment” for Jamarra Ugle-Hagan. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

Nine’s Tom Morris confirmed zero change to Ugle-Hagan’s situation despite the long-term injury suffered by Darcy.

“I don’t think there’s going to be any change to Jamarra based on (Darcy’s injury),” Morris told Nine’s Footy Furnace.

“The Western Bulldogs would love to get him back playing, but that’s the furthest thing from their mind.

“The situation with Jamarra is more about next year, where is he going to be playing his footy in 2026? And my understanding is I don’t think any Victorian club is going to take a risk on Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.”

Morris reeled off three clubs now thought to be uninterested in recruiting the Bulldog, adding any new home for Ugle-Hagan in 2026 would likely be interstate.

“Geelong aren’t interested anymore,” he said. “They’ve left the door ajar publicly, but privately they’re not interested.

“Neither’s Melbourne, (and I) don’t think the Hawks are either. So, if he’s going to continue his career elsewhere, it’s going to be interstate.

“The big sticking point at the moment, the tension between the Dogs and Jamarra and the AFL and everyone else involved ... is over his treatment. There (are) disagreements and frustrations around what his treatment looks like and what the course of action is from here, so there’s a lot to play out.

“But he’s nowhere near playing any footy ... the replacement for Sam Darcy won’t be Jamarra anytime soon.”

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