- Bulldogs coach says troubled star’s future is in hands of AFL now
- Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is yet to play this year due to personal issues
Luke Beveridge has revealed Jamarra Ugle-Hagan’s playing future is in the hands of the AFL and not the Western Bulldogs club amid calls for the troubled star to be stood down over his off-field behaviour.
The former No.1 draft pick has not played a game this season because of personal issues, and it is unclear when or whether he will return to action.
Prominent past players have led calls this week for the Bulldogs to stand down Ugle-Hagan after new vision of the 23-year-old partying emerged on social media.
St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt was among Ugle-Hagan’s most vocal critics as he called for clubs to be better protected.
‘There can be real reasons, legitimate reasons, but when you’re behaving the way that Jamarra is you forfeit all rights,’ Riewoldt said on Channel Seven.
‘This is the issue, there is no mechanism for clubs to be protected.
Luke Beveridge (pictured) says Jamarra Ugle-Hagan’s playing future is in the hands of the AFL
Prominent past players have led calls this week for Ugle-Hagan (pictured) to be stood down
‘Not just the clubs but the players you’re teammates with that are actually fronting up day after day doing the work for the cause, and you’ve got a teammate that is not buying in and is still taking five or six, seven per cent of the salary cap with no recourse from the football clubs.’
Port Adelaide champion Kane Cornes also said the situation has ‘gone on too long’ and the footy club had to stand him down.
‘I try not to think about the social media side of things too much,’ Beveridge said on Thursday.
‘At the moment the decision-making in regards to Marra’s future and what that entails is significantly in the AFL’s hands.
‘We’re waiting on them to do certain things and we’re continually interacting with them and working through it to work out what’s best for Marra.’
Ugle-Hagan remains on what the Bulldogs termed a ‘flexible’ training arrangement and is not a regular at the club.
‘My focus is absolutely, totally on the group that’s here,’ Beveridge said.
‘Sometimes he’s here, sometimes he’s not. If he is and he isn’t, it’s not worth talking about.
Vision of the troubled star partying has emerged on social media
Ugle-Hagan continues to make headlines off the field while his teammates are training hard
The former No.1 draft pick has not played a game this season because of personal issues
‘If he is and he joins in, we carry on. But because he’s not currently available for selection, it’s not at the forefront of my mind.
‘It’s just making sure that the group who are playing are ready to go.’
The top draft pick in 2020, Ugle-Hagan has kicked 103 goals in 67 games for the Bulldogs, but has not played since last year’s elimination final.
