Jamarra Ugle-Hagan Set for Gold Coast Debut Almost 600 Days After His Last AFL Game

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is set to make his debut for Gold Coast on Anzac Day, facing Hawthorn, as confirmed by the club.

This match will mark his first AFL appearance in 596 days, following a challenging 2025 season where he dealt with mental health and off-field concerns.

His last outing was during the 2024 elimination final with the Western Bulldogs.

Ugle-Hagan spent a significant portion of 2025 away from the team and revealed that he was in a mental health facility during that time.

At the conclusion of the 2025 season, he was traded from the Bulldogs to the Suns in exchange for pick 74, a stark indication of how far his career had slipped since being the number one draft pick in 2020.

Now with Gold Coast, he has been given a fresh opportunity, with the club taking their time to ensure he was ready for a comeback.

Ugle-Hagan has quickly regained his form at the VFL level, with a standout performance of five goals against Essendon in his last game.

On Thursday, Suns’ head coach Damien Hardwick officially announced that Ugle-Hagan would be making his debut.

“We informed Jamarra in front of the playing group this morning, and I must admit, there were tears from both him and possibly even the coach,” Hardwick told the media.

“It’s an amazing journey; it’s been 596 days since he last played in the AFL. He has put in an incredible amount of work for us, and we’ve made sure he deserves this chance. We are thoroughly impressed with what he has brought to the team.

“Many individuals have contributed significantly to Jamarra’s journey, ensuring he is now ready to make his debut for the club.

“We’re looking forward to seeing what he has to bring. We are confident he will play a substantial role in our future.”

Having played 67 games for the Bulldogs and scoring 103 goals during his five years on their roster, Ugle-Hagan previously showed promise as a rising star key forward in 2024. Now, at just 24 years of age, he has plenty of opportunities ahead to rediscover that form.

The Gold Coast camp will be eager for Ugle-Hagan to help alleviate some of the pressure on Ben King in the forward line, with King currently leading the Coleman Medal race with 24 goals, five ahead of Hawthorn’s Jack Gunston in second place.