{"id":625004,"date":"2026-04-23T04:38:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T04:38:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/625004\/"},"modified":"2026-04-23T04:38:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T04:38:25","slug":"jamarra-ugle-hagan-sheds-a-tear-ahead-of-long-awaited-gold-coast-suns-debut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/625004\/","title":{"rendered":"Jamarra Ugle-Hagan sheds a tear ahead of long-awaited Gold Coast Suns debut"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has shed a tear after being informed he will make his Gold Coast debut in the Suns’ AFL clash with Hawthorn in Launceston.<\/p>\n

Ugle-Hagan, the No.1 pick from the 2020 draft, did not play a single game last year for the Western Bulldogs as he battled a range of off-field and mental health issues.<\/p>\n

The Dogs cut their losses at the end of the season, trading the 24-year-old Indigenous star for pick No.74.<\/p>\n

It was a bargain deal for Gold Coast, but one that also came with massive risks.<\/p>\n

Ugle-Hagan was overlooked for the Suns’ first six rounds of the season, but his five-goal haul in the VFL last week was simply too hard to ignore.<\/p>\n

“We told Jamarra in front of the playing group this morning, and I’m not going to lie, there was a tear from player and probably the coach as well,” Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick said.<\/p>\n

“It’s an incredible story. It’s been 596 days since his last AFL game.<\/p>\n

\"Jamarra<\/p>\n

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan scored five goals for the Suns VFL side against Essendon last week. (Getty Images: Mackenzie Sweetnam)<\/p>\n

“He’s done a power of work for us, we’ve made him earn it, and we’ve been so impressed by what he’s brought.”<\/p>\n

ABC Sport Daily podcast<\/a><\/p>\n

ABC Sport Daily is your daily sports conversation. We dive into the biggest story of the day and get you up to speed with everything else that’s making headlines.<\/p>\n

In October last year, Ugle-Hagan described 2025 as a “year from hell”.<\/p>\n

He said he attended 12 funerals in that year alone, with a decline in his mental health taking a toll.<\/p>\n

The key forward uses football as his medicine, and Suns fans will be licking their lips to see what Ugle-Hagan can produce on Saturday.<\/p>\n

“A lot of people have done a lot of work with Jamarra to get him the opportunity to make his club debut,” Hardwick said.<\/p>\n

“We’re excited about what he is going to offer. What we do know is we think he’s going to be a big part of our future moving forward.”<\/p>\n

Gold Coast sit fourth on the ladder with a 4-2 record, while Hawthorn (5-1) are third.<\/p>\n

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