Dogs praised for handling of top pick

GARRY Lyon and Tim Watson have both praised the Western Bulldogs for their handling of number one draft pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.

Ugle-Hagan, who kicked five goals in the VFL last week, won’t be rushed into the Bulldogs’ AFL side after coach Luke Beveridge said the 18-year-old still has areas to work on before making his debut.

“I love the way the Western Bulldogs are handling this,” Lyon told SEN Breakfast.

“I wonder whether all clubs would be able to handle him in this same position because he’s kicked five in the VFL, he’s clearly the number one target, but he (Beveridge) said amongst other things with Jamarra that he’s got a fair way to go, he’s got things to work on, and to build up his fitness.

“It’s going to take some time and I love the fact that they’re going, ‘Just hold your horses’. I don’t know if every club would be doing that.

“Think Jack Watts and Melbourne back in the day.”

Beveridge said the VFL’s anti-density rules will deny Ugle-Hagan the chance to get his fitness levels up to AFL standard.

The VFL is trialling zones for stoppages in 2021, with a minimum of three players from each team required to stand inside 50.

“Maybe every club’s not in the position to be able to do that either because of the talent they’ve got at their disposal,” Watson said.

“If he was at North Melbourne, Essendon, Hawthorn or at the Adelaide Crows right now, there would be some form of pressure to put him in there before he’s ready.

“There are certain kids that if you hold them back a while longer and wait for them to develop and make them really earn their position, then it’s going to serve them well over a longer period of time.”

Ugle-Hagan suffered a dislocated thumb playing for Footscray in a VFL practice match against Essendon on Saturday.

-BY ALEX ZAIA/ SEN