Western Bulldogs senior coach Luke Beveridge is hopeful that former Pick 1 Jamarra Ugle-Hagan can find an opportunity to play football next year amid concerns for his well-being.
Ugle-Hagan found himself caught up in an alleged shooting at popular Melbourne nightclub Love Machine last Saturday night.
Beveridge was unable to comment on the incident and admitted he has not been in regular communication with the 23-year-old forward, who has been absent from the club for a "couple of weeks", but provided positive news that he is tracking well in terms of fitness.
"[Ugle-Hagan] is probably one I can't really comment on too much anymore," Beveridge told the media on Friday.
"There are others managing that. Obviously, the [nightclub incident] that happened is a police matter, so it would be a bit unconscionable of me to even talk about it.
"We haven't seen him for a couple of weeks. He's been home, dealing with some stuff on the mission. 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."
Beveridge highlighted the emotional state of Ugle-Hagan's difficult situation, for both him and the club as a whole, but believed that the Bulldogs' 2024 leading goal-kicker has made inroads toward a potential return in 2026, whether that's at the Footscray-based outfit or elsewhere.
"It doesn't matter what workplace you're in, when people who you're working with or are associated with are going through difficulties in their life, you go through those periods of mitigating the risk for them, trying to help them," Beveridge said.
"Maybe eliminating some risk and really guiding them down the right path. All you do is try and help the person, which we've been doing with 'Marra'.
"He's been doing his best to help himself, and we feel like he's made some inroads.
"This season was just too far gone [for him to return], so 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 and are really supportive of him. They understand he's not going to be here at a training session like today."
Beveridge doesn't know whether Ugle-Hagan will be with the Bulldogs in 2026, but stated he would love to have him back on the condition that he returns to the required full-time program.
"There's a bit of water to go under the bridge now at the end of the year and things to consider. I can't say definitively whether it will be here or somewhere else," Beveridge said of the key forward's playing future.
"I'd love Jamarra to be here, if he's at his best. Ultimately, in an AFL program, you have to be joining in all the time. If the restart gets him there, it would be a great thing for the club and him, but we'll see how we go."
