Footy great blasts Jamarra Ugle-Hagan after the troubled Bulldogs star allegedly misses landmark event

Footy great James Hird has branded Jamarra Ugle-Hagan’s decision to allegedly not attend the Bulldogs’ landmark 100-year anniversary match as ‘unacceptable’.

Despite celebrating the landmark clash, Footscray suffered a six-point defeat by Collingwood, going down 10.16 (76) to 10.10 (70).

Ugle-Hagan, 22, has not returned to feature for the Bulldogs in 2025 after the forward had struggled with some personal issues over the off-season.

The youngster, who was the Dogs’ leading goalkicker in 2024, had subsequently missed several pre-season training sessions. Reports had also emerged suggesting that the 2020 No 1 draft pick had fallen out with some members of the squad.

According to a report in the Herald Sun, Ugle-Hagan still remains some way off being able to feature at VFL level but has been back in training in recent weeks.

Ameet Bains, Bulldogs chief executive, has also insisted that the club will not trade the 22-year-old at the end of the season.

According to AFL reporter Tom Morris, though, Ugle-Hagan has allegedly been spotted attending Melbourne United’s defeat by the Illawarra Hawks on Wednesday night in the NBL.

He was also said to be at Melbourne Storm’s 30-24 victory against Penrith on Thursday night.

But speaking on Footy Furnace, Morris claimed that Ugle-Hagan was not at the Marvel Stadium for his own side’s centenary match and asked Hird what he thought of the situation.

‘What would you say to Jamarra after he went to the NBL last Wednesday night, went to the NRL on Thursday night but in the 100th-year anniversary game, Footscray, where greats of the club have come to the Marvel Stadium to celebrate a famous football club – he doesn’t go to the G’. Instead, he’s at Brighton Beach. What would you say to your player?’ Morris said.

Essendon great, Hird, who won two premierships with the side and the 1996 Brownlow Medal, criticised Ugle-Hagan’s decision not to head to watch his team-mates play.

‘That’s very strange… It’s unacceptable,’ He said.

‘I didn’t know he did that but you’d think the most important thing is to go and watch your team-mates – whether it’s the 100th game or not.

‘I can’t imagine a player not going to watch his team-mates – unless he is ill.’

Morris then added that the Bulldogs had ‘invited’ Ugle-Hagan to the G’ to watch the match but had been: ‘posted on social media playing pool at a bar instead of being at the MCG.’

Earlier in the week, Ugle-Hagan had been spotted spending some time at a driving range, playing golf with a French model.

It comes as the club is working through the youngster’s return to the first team, but Luke Beveridge has confirmed that he couldn’t give reporters a definitive answer on when the footy star would return.

‘I think people are using my words to maybe project that that’s a possibility,’ Beveridge said last week.

‘And when I said I can’t be definitive as to when it sort of alludes to the fact that that could happen. We’re not sure, but applying yourself at this level, and having continuity with your preparation now is what he’s after, what we’re after.

‘Once he gets that, it’s just how long it’s sustainable (for) at this point in time.

‘Once you can sustain a period of time with that, then you’ll be a candidate to make a return on the field.’

Beveridge opened up further on the situation, stating that Ugle-Hagan had been experiencing some ‘life challenges’ but did not speak on whether a lack of trust had developed between the footy star and the playing group.

‘I mean the trust aspect, I suppose that’s in the language and the messaging between Jamarra and the club, and I don’t think we’ve ever said anything about that,’ he said.

‘We just appreciate the fact that he’s got some life challenges that then presents some impediments to him playing at this level. So it’s not really a trust situation.

‘It’s just (about) “How do we, as far as motivating an individual and then helping them become a self-starter again?”

‘That’s where we’re at and there’s evidence that he’s self-starting better than he had been. And as I said, now we need a sustainable run with that.’