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‘There comes a time when you just know’ | 00:36
The Western Bulldogs are preparing to start their season without a young star in the fold. Meanwhile, at Essendon, a gun midfielder is in a race to prove his fitness by the start of the campaign amid a “wretched” injury run.
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DOGS BRACE FOR GUN’S ABSENCE
The Dogs have prepared this pre-season to play without Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, who remains away from the club amid personal challenges, and will show a glimpse of their “adapted” forward line in front of a packed house on Saturday.
The Bulldogs host Essendon in a practice game this weekend in which star forward Ugle-Hagan will not play as part his fluid return to the club.
Ugle-Hagan could go to Perth with the Indigenous All Stars team this weekend in a non-playing role but remains under “no timeline” to return to the Bulldogs.
Rising star Sam Darcy says the Bulldogs’ forwards have prepared to shape up without Ugle-Hagan, which will likely be revealed in match simulation on Saturday.
“Over the summer we’ve been working well as a forward group through all our match Sims, we’ve adapted to playing without him (Ugle-Hagan) if the case happens,” Darcy said.
“I think through Matt Spangher (forward coach) and the support coaches, I think we’ve put together a really good block and I think success can happen with the group we’ve got at the moment.”
That adjusted forward line is unlikely to include additional minutes inside 50 to superstar captain Marcus Bontempelli despite his career-best 32 goals last season.
Bontempelli says his 2025 preparation has not included any extra time forward and is backing Darcy, Aaron Naughton and Cody Weightman to deliver if they are to play without Ugle-Hagan.
“Not more than any other pre-season, to be honest, it’s always going to be an aspect of my game I can hopefully continue to explore,” Bontempelli said.
“The team might look different from the (elimination) final last year on multiple fronts and that’s just the evolution of the game, the evolution of players you want to put their hand up.
“That’s going to be one thing at this point that’s going to be different, I don’t really see it changing too much just yet from my perspective.
“I am pretty confident with Sam, Aaron, Cody and the other guys around there to have a pretty strong influence.
“It shouldn’t look too different to previous years.”
BOMBERS STAR IN DOUBT
Parish suffered a back injury in December and has not recovered as well as the Bombers had hoped he would.
The 27-year-old played just 12 games in 2024, his lowest season tally since he was drafted, due to an unrelenting calf issue.
Bombers coach Brad Scott told AFL.com.au that Parish was “not completely ruled out” but said the club would take a cautious approach.
“I’d say that, based on the way that we’ve managed his (Parish) back to this point, it hasn’t progressed as quickly as we would’ve liked,” Scott said.
“He’s a dynamic player, so when we have pushed him, it hasn’t responded the way we like – I’d say he’s in some doubt.
“He’s not completely ruled out at this stage, because it might turn, but he’s such an important player for us that we have to make sure we get him right for the long term.”
Parish has had difficulty matching the heights of his career-best 2021, a year in which he won the Anzac Day Medal and was named an All-Australian.
Scott said Parish was an important part of Essendon’s midfield and the club needed him back fit.
“Darcy has just had a wretched run. He works unbelievably hard, he’s probably the type of player who pushes so hard we have to hold him back at times as well,” he said.
“He’s a really important part of our midfield and we need him back.
“But when he gets out and trains and pushes, it’s probably exacerbated his back issue a little bit. We’ll be really conservative with him.”
