Former Essendon coach James Hird has expressed serious concerns about Jamarra Ugle-Hagan’s future with the Western Bulldogs, indicating that the young player may not be able to recover from his current predicament at Whitten Oval. The commentary comes after reports surfaced from Nine’s Footy Classified, highlighting Ugle-Hagan’s need to mend relationships with key figures including coach Luke Beveridge, captain Marcus Bontempelli, and senior player Rory Lobb if he hopes to return to the AFL team.
Hird, appearing on Footy Classified alongside Eddie McGuire and former Adelaide captain Rory Sloane, shared his bleak perspective. He asserted that losing the trust of both the coach and the captain significantly diminishes one’s chances of returning to the team. “Trust is the crucial element in any team environment,” he noted, suggesting that if Ugle-Hagan has repeatedly damaged those relationships, a comeback could be highly unlikely.
Whispers regarding Ugle-Hagan’s struggle to meet the Bulldogs’ professionalism standards have been circulating, with McGuire underlining these concerns, particularly given the player’s potential, having been selected first overall in the 2020 draft. He has shown flashes of brilliance, but inconsistencies have tainted his performance.
McGuire mentioned Ugle-Hagan’s issues stemming from last year’s finals, citing an incident where he was seen socialising before a crucial match against Hawthorn, in which he only managed four possessions. Both Beveridge and Bontempelli were reportedly unhappy with his approach during that period.
Despite Ugle-Hagan’s recent full participation in training, his relationships with pivotal team members remain problematic, indicating that fitness is not his sole hurdle. The Bulldogs are set to launch their premiership campaign against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, but Ugle-Hagan’s participation seems highly improbable.
McGuire conveyed his disappointment, critiquing Ugle-Hagan for jeopardising a rare opportunity that may not present itself again. He voiced concern for the young player, reflecting on how the situation could hinder his career in the long term.