The Bulldogs have confirmed that star forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has officially taken a leave of absence from the club to deal with personal issues.
Ugle-Hagan hasn't played for the team at all in 2025 and has only sporadically attended club facilities, instead training elsewhere while he works through personal challenges.
On Tuesday, a club statement announced that an agreement had been mutually reached to see the talented 23-year-old take a leave of absence.
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"Western Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is taking a leave of absence from the club as he deals with personal issues," the statement read.
"The decision has been mutually reached by Jamarra and his family, his management, the club and the AFL.
"A management plan has been developed with Jamarra.
"The club and the family have asked that Jamarra’s privacy and that of his family be respected at this time."
Bulldogs football boss Sam Power added: "Jamarra's health and wellbeing remains the absolute priority and he will be given whatever time he needs,” he said.
"We will continue to support Jamarra throughout this period."
The development only lends more weight to the growing belief that Ugle-Hagan won't be at the Whitten Oval next season, despite being contracted to the club for 2026.
Over the weekend, Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge made his strongest comments yet on the former number one pick, suggesting things could “come to a head” if there is no change in the player's situation.
“We hope he is connecting with the medical experts and from time-to-time our practitioners and that the penny will drop at some point, and we can turn it around,” Beveridge said an interview with the Herald Sun.
“But if it doesn’t happen over the remainder of the season, then I don’t know. It will probably come to a head.”
Beveridge also admitted he wasn't convinced the 67-gamer still had the desire to play AFL.
“I don’t know, that is the serious answer. He will tell you he does, but the actions don’t back the words up,” he said, later adding:
“You can’t choose which days you don’t come.”
Ugle-Hagan hasn't played since the club's elimination final exit to Hawthorn last year, a season in which he kicked a career-best 43 goals.
The Bulldogs have begun the 2025 campaign with a 4-3 record, most recently taking down rivals GWS in Canberra on Sunday.