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"Remains to be seen": Beveridge holding out hope for Jamarra's future
SEN • August 22nd, 2025 5:15 pm
Western Bulldogs head coach Luke Beveridge has spoken on the ongoing situation regarding Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.
The former No.1 pick was recently caught up in yet another scandal, finding himself outside a nightclub at the time of a shooting in Prahran.
Speaking ahead of the Bulldogs’ Round 24 clash with Fremantle, Beveridge expressed that despite the ongoing concerns over the troubled star, he still has faith in him returning to AFL football.
“It’s probably one that I can’t really comment on too much anymore. There are others managing that … obviously, that thing that happened is a police matter,” Beveridge said.
“It would be sort of unconscionable for me to even talk about it … we haven’t seen (Ugle-Hagan) for a couple of weeks; he’s been at home dealing with some stuff (at Framlingham).
“He seems like he’s healthy enough and he’s still training on. I’m just hoping for him that at the end of it all, there’s an opportunity for him to play AFL footy next year.”
Continuing his support for Jamarra, Beveridge made note of the inroads made by the Bulldog over the course of the season.
“All you do is just try and help the person, which we’ve been doing with ‘Marra’ – he’s been doing his best to help himself, and I feel like he’s made some inroads,” he said.
“The trip up north to the health retreat was good for him, and I think this season was too far gone … starting afresh next year is a good thing to think about and consider.
“I try not to get too emotional about it. The players have been terrific, really supportive of him, and just understand he’s not going to be here at a training session like today.”
Jamarra’s future within the AFL still remains up in the air as Ugle-Hagan has a year remaining on his current deal, with both Beveridge and the club unsure whether the star will land beyond this season.
“It remains to be seen (whether he would stay at the club). There’s a bit of water to go under the bridge now at the end of the year and things to consider, so I can’t say definitively whether it would be here or somewhere else,” he said.
“I’d love 'Marra to be here if he’s at his best. Ultimately in an AFL program, you’ve got to be joining in all the time, so if the restart gets him there, then obviously it would be a great thing for the club and him … but we’ll see how we go.”
