The star Cat Ugle-Hagan should look to emulate

IS Jeremy Cameron the perfect prototype for what Jamarra Ugle-Hagan could one day become?

Since being taken with pick one in the 2020 National Draft, Ugle-Hagan has endured an inconsistent start to his time at the Western Bulldogs.

However, as a young key forward, Ugle-Hagan’s up-and-down career to date hasn’t been a surprise.

Late in 2022, the 20-year-old locked in a best 22 spot in Luke Beveridge’s side with 10 goals from rounds 18-20, including a five-goal, five-inside 50s performance against Melbourne.

It was an indicator of the young gun’s potential, and a booming goal from outside 50 to seal the game for the Dogs reminded fans of Geelong star Cameron.

With Rory Lobb coming to Whitten Oval in the off-season, AFL analyst David King questioned if Ugle-Hagan could see a role change in line with what Cameron plays at the Cats.

“Jeremy Cameron is the finished product, Jamarra is nowhere near the finished product, but I wonder if that’s the player he’s going to become,” King said on SEN Breakfast.

“Up the field more, not out of the goal square, and being so creative by foot kicking the ball inside forward 50 to the advantage of his teammates and maybe getting a bit more ball, rather than having to win everything in a contest… I think that you’ll see more of that for him.”

AFL Media’s Josh Gabelich, who spent a week of pre-season at the Dogs’ Portsea training camp, suggested Lobb’s recruitment was set to have a big impact on Ugle-Hagan and fellow key forward Aaron Naughton.

“I think we’ll see Aaron Naughton and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan [improve], speaking to a lot of people around the club over the last couple of days, the benefit of Rory Lobb isn’t just what he brings in terms of his output, but what he does for Naughton and Ugle-Hagan,” Gabelich said on SEN last week.

“I spoke with Naughton and he was just raving about Rory Lobb and what he’s brought to that forward line.

“I just think you’ll see it in those two because they’re still quite young, Naughton especially and Ugle-Hagan, I think Naughton will bring plenty.”

Ugle-Hagan suggested after the 2022 season that he didn’t enjoy his footy for a period of time, but found a better headspace towards the end of the season.

Beveridge famously didn’t debut the key forward until round 17 in his first season, with the pressure increasing on Ugle-Hagan the longer his first game was on hold.

But the Dogs appear set to reap the rewards after a pre-season that has continued the momentum from his finish to the season last year.

“I’m out there having fun and enjoying my footy again,” Ugle-Hagan said on the club’s website in November last year.

“I found it a bit hard last year to find the fun in football – I was expecting way too much from myself as a player.

“Coming into a top-two team [as the number one draft pick] I didn’t expect to play straight away, but that was hard to realise at the time.”

Ugle-Hagan kicked 18.16 last year as the Bulldogs crawled into finals, with the club hoping a rejuvenated forward line and Liam Jones’ recruitment sees a return to form.

– BY SEB MOTTRAM/ SEN