Bulldogs skipper Bontempelli speaks on café catch-up with Ugle-Hagan and his looming contract call

Nic Negrepontis • March 11th, 2025 10:52 am

Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli has confirmed he caught up with Jamarra Ugle-Hagan over the weekend at a café in Kew.

Ugle-Hagan has been back in full training since the Indigenous All-Stars game as he pushes to build fitness and regain the trust of the playing group.

Bontempelli said his job is to provide the 22-year-old with a personal level of support.

“Yes we caught up, which has been part of our process the last few weeks anyhow. It was more a general catch-up to check in,” Bontempelli told SEN Breakfast.

“My angle with a lot of these situations is that it’s obviously got to be really personal and more on a support level and that’s what I am to Jamarra more than I am the captain of the footy club or his teammate, it’s coming at things from a personal angle so I can support him more than anything.

“Things are definitely moving and progressing in the right direction. I’m confident in the plan that is in place, in the people that are around him supporting him beyond me and his teammates, but obviously from a support perspective there is a lot in place.

“I’m confident in the plan in place and how things are moving well and him back at training on a consistent basis is obviously pushing things in the right direction.”

The Western Bulldogs skipper is out of contract at the end of the season and admits he tends to take his time with the decision making process on his future.

“It’s a personal preference as per usual with my contract scenarios to take my time with it. As I’ve probably been paraphrased through the pre-season that it just hasn’t been a priority of mine,” Bontempelli said.

“I think it just comes down to values. I’ll take care of what I think is the most important thing at any given time and for me that’s football, the start of the season, the injury throws a bit of a curveball in there that I wasn’t expecting on a personal level and you canvas what the future might look like.

“For me, it’s really come down to priorities and to continue to assess things at the right time and I’ve spoken with (manager) Tom Petroro about it irregularly to be honest because my focus is elsewhere at the moment.”

Bontempelli said his role as captain of the club and loyalty to the side that drafted him is an important factor.

“It plays a significant part. I’ve spent the best part of my young adult career at the club and you come out of school and go straight into an environment that beyond your parents shapes your morals and values, so it’s a strong part to it,” he said.

“And when you captain a club it’s even more so and I’m in that fortunate position where I am. It does play an important part.”

It’s Western Bulldogs membership day on SEN!

Tune in to hear the Dogs on your dial and join the Bulldogs Blitz!

For 24 hours only buy 3 games, get 6 FREE! Join HERE.