Collingwood forward Bobby Hill and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan make surprise appearance in Indigenous Victorian football carnival

Norm Smith medallist Bobby Hill has made a surprise return to competitive football and so has former No.1 draft pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and dumped North Melbourne star Tarryn Thomas.

The players have appeared in the Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Carnival in Cranbourne which started on Saturday, with Hill and Thomas representing the Fitzroy Stars.

Hill was overlooked by Collingwood in this year’s finals campaign after an interrupted year due to personal issues.

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His 40 minutes as the substitute in Collingwood’s Round 21 loss to Brisbane was his only AFL exposure since June.

The 25-year-old sought approval from the Magpies and the AFL before entering the competition across this weekend.

Norm Smith medallist Bobby Hill has joined former North Melbourne star Tarryn Thomas in a game for Fitzroy Stars. Credit: Supplied

Ugle-Hagan is also playing in what is his first match at any level since the Western Bulldogs’ 2024 elimination final.

His move to Gold Coast is progressing and needs approval from the Suns’ board to proceed.

Thomas last played for the Kangaroos in 2023 before he was banished from the AFL and unable to win a career lifeline.

Former Carlton and Adelaide champion Eddie Betts, who mentored Hill in the second half of the season, is also expected to play in the Carnival.

And former AFL players Neville Jetta (Melbourne) and Jeff Garlett (Carlton and Melbourne) are also featuring.

At his best, Hill is a star of the competition but he only managed 14 games this year when the personal issues forced him out the team.

He had ramped up his training in a desperate bid to feature at the pointy end of the season, but ultimately fell short.

Coach Craig McRae said at the time the decision not to play Hill was “based on a lot of little things”.

McRae did not totally rule Hill out of returning to the team for the grand final, but Collingwood failed to make it.

“I mentioned (the grand final) to him — keep training well, keep turning up, keep being here, being present, keep getting better every day as we always say,” McRae said ahead of the preliminary final.

“There may be a world where that could be true.”

Hill attended Collingwood’s best-and-fairest count on Friday night. He has emphatically stated he will be remaining at Collingwood despite trade suggestions.