The Western Bulldogs are hopeful Jamarra Ugle-Hagan will make a swift return to action but won’t pressure the young star after he missed his side’s 60-point thrashing of St Kilda for personal reasons.
Ugle-Hagan was allowed to sit out Thursday night’s clash at Marvel Stadium, returning home to south-west Victoria because of a private family issue.
The Bulldogs have a nine-day break before facing Fremantle at Optus Stadium in round seven and will give the 22-year-old forward as much time as he needs.
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“It’s a bit of an unknown at the moment,” coach Luke Beveridge said after the 19.10 (124) to 9.10 (64) victory over St Kilda.
“He’s got a few things to take care of back home and I can’t really comment too much with these sort of personal assignments.
“We’ve just got to be sensitive to the privacy of ‘Marra’ and his family.
“Hopefully it won’t be too long but it may not be this week. We’ll wait and see.”
Earlier, Beveridge told Fox Footy that Ugle-Hagan was back in Framlingham, the rural Victorian town where he was raised.
“Looking after, I suppose, the in confidence and sensitivities around personal things, there’s not a lot I can say other than we’re just supporting him and his family and we hope to have him back soon,” he said.
“Time will tell whether it’s this week or the week after.”
Aaron Naughton stepped up with an equal career-best six goals against St Kilda in Ugle-Hagan’s absence, standing out alongside fellow talls Sam Darcy and Rory Lobb.
Naughton and goal-sneak Cody Weightman each kicked three majors in an opening-term blitz as the Bulldogs ripped the game away from their opponents by quarter-time.
“We’re all pleased for him,” Beveridge said of Naughton.
“He doesn’t covet kicking half-a-dozen like he did. He does all the team things and competes like there’s no tomorrow.
“I love the fact that he was able to get some reward for himself and he’s just such an important player for us.”
The big win squared the Bulldogs’ season ledger at 3-3 after an intense week under the blowtorch following their meek surrender to Essendon last round.
Beveridge said the aim now is to find consistency in performances as the Bulldogs chase a finals berth.
“It’s part of our growth now and probably our maturity as a team to bounce out of a pretty impressive win into giving a good account of ourselves in Perth against Fremantle next week,” Beveridge said.
Star midfielder Tom Liberatore is also in the frame to return against Fremantle if he is cleared to exit concussion protocols.
– With Cameron Noakes