AFL
1 day ago
Beveridge lifts the lid on Ugle-Hagan's future
By SEN
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has provided the latest on the ongoing saga surrounding Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.
The 22-year-old was seen at the Brighton Beach Hotel on Friday night instead of attending the Bulldogs’ 100-year anniversary celebration clash against Collingwood at the MCG.
He had been spotted at the NBL finals and watching the Melbourne Storm in the NRL earlier in the week which attracted criticism from some.
As the Ugle-Hagan drama rolls on, Beveridge spoke honestly on Channel 9’s Footy Classified about the situation and how the Dogs are handling the talented yet troubled young forward.
“It’s a long sort of series of events away from the club that people have become privy to,” Beveridge said.
“I think the challenging thing in today's society, especially when you live a public life like Jamarra does, is that everyone knows where you are.
“Whether it's on socials or whether it’s someone texting me or ringing me, telling me that they've located him somewhere.
“So, the expectation around his movement into the future is that it'll be a bit rubbery.
“He'll train at the club here and there. There will be times when he's absolutely not expected to be in different places and it'll be his choice.
“We're working with him on that. Sometimes it's a tolerance to it. But ultimately, the way that everyone within the football club is dealing with the fact that 'Marra is not on campus most of the time is that let's just focus on what we can influence and control.
“The playing group are totally invested, working towards winning games of footy and our staff and the human capital are committed to helping the health of the system - that's what we're focusing on.
“‘Marra's stuff, we're hoping that it'll turn out in the right space and we'll get him back at some point. But he's got some challenges ahead of him.”
Ugle-Hagan’s future at the Whitten Oval is constantly being questioned by outsiders, especially given clubs like Sydney and Geelong are being named as potential destinations.
Beveridge insists any decision that is made will have the best interests of both player and club at the forefront.
But the 2016 premiership coach is holding out hope that things will change for the prodigious former No.1 draft pick despite the personal challenges he is facing.
“I definitely won't be making any decisions,” he said.
“What will happen is it'll be a groupthink, and probably similar to what's happened with one or two other players in the past, it’s what's best for the player and ultimately what's best for our football club as we move into the future.
“There's a lot of unknowns and it only sort of crystallises at the end of the year.
“At this point in time obviously there's a lot of conjecture and a lot of media reports that clubs are interested and that sort of thing, and that happens.
“But ultimately, no one's sure of that until 'Marra's management comes to you and says, ‘Hey, this what is happening and this is what he’d like to happen’.
“We're passionate about him and we've cared for him for a long time
“Yeah, there's a bit of a frustration, but we're understanding what he's going through. We'd love him to re-engage and we'd love him to be a part of our football club, and we'd love to see more of those performances in the future - so we hold out a lot of hope.”
