Western Bulldogs star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan will not attend the club’s pre-season camp in Queensland, as doubt over his availability for the first half of the season continues to grow.
The 22-year-old was again a no-show at club headquarters on Wednesday as his teammates were put through their paces for their last session before flying to Noosa on Friday.
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan will not attend the Bulldogs’ pre-season camp in Noosa.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Players and staff were told of the decision late on Wednesday, following an earlier discussion between the club and Ugle-Hagan, that he would be better off concentrating on his own health and wellbeing rather than travelling with the team.
The Bulldogs said last week that Ugle-Hagan had the backing of the football program to train away from the club. He has rarely been at Whitten Oval throughout pre-season, instead “undertaking flexible training arrangements as he deals with personal issues”, according to the Dogs.
One source close to Ugle-Hagan and another at the club – who wished to remain anonymous because of the personal nature of the situation – told this masthead the decision for the key forward not to attend the camp was mutual and made in the best interests of the player’s future.
Coach Luke Beveridge was absent from training and from the meeting, choosing to fly north by himself early to plan for the camp.
In a further blow to the Bulldogs, Norm Smith medallist Jason Johannisen limped off the track on Wednesday with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.
Jason Johannisen will have scans on an injury he picked up at training.Credit: Getty Images
Johannisen was struggling to walk after the injury. The club said he would be sent for scans in the afternoon to assess the damage.
Fellow star Adam Treloar, who is coming off the best season of his career, is facing a race against time to be fit for round one.
The former Giant and Magpie managed to only walk laps around Whitten Oval on Wednesday and won’t take part in the team’s match simulation in Noosa on Sunday.
In more positive news, key pillars Aaron Naughton and Tim English both trained strongly and look on track to play in the team’s first hitout against proper opposition when they face Essendon on February 15.
Naughton has been struggling with illness and a sore calf for much of the pre-season, while English suffered an abdominal injury when he was kneed in the ribs at training last week.
Naughton and a bulked up Sam Darcy have been training as permanent forwards and the club remains hopeful that marking small forward Cody Weightman will recover from a sore knee that has been troubling him for the last few weeks.
Second generation Bulldog Jordan Croft (the 201-centimetre son of 186-gamer Matthew) has been impressing at training alongside mature age recruit Sam Davidson.
The 22-year-old Davidson, who impressed as a goalkicking forward while playing in Richmond’s VFL side last year, spent much of 2022 and 2023 playing country football for different teams while undertaking rural placements for his degree in medicine.
At 191cm, Davidson is seen as a strong option to play early in the season as a third tall, while he can also be utilised on the wing.
