Ugle-Hagan Shows Promise for Gold Coast Suns
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick has expressed confidence in the potential of Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, believing that the young forward is only beginning to showcase his capabilities with the Suns. During a recent match against GWS, Ugle-Hagan’s three goals played a pivotal role in securing the team’s first home victory over the Giants in 12 years. The Suns triumphed with a score of 11.17 (83) to 8.15 (63).
Ugle-Hagan, who was once the No.1 draft pick, had faced significant challenges during his final season with the Western Bulldogs. However, since joining the Gold Coast, he has made an immediate impact, particularly in his first two games. The 24-year-old delivered two goals in a third-quarter surge during a low-scoring game and sealed the win with his third goal of the night.
Hardwick acknowledged that Ugle-Hagan had a somewhat inconsistent first half but emphasized the importance of his presence on the field. “He probably had a little bit of an indifferent first half, but he’s got to keep showing up, and eventually big moments come and he delivered,” Hardwick said. He highlighted the significance of Ugle-Hagan’s goal, noting that it was rare for someone of his size to achieve such a feat. “We’re very fortunate to have a player that’s capable of doing that.”
Hardwick also pointed out that this was Ugle-Hagan’s second game with the club, suggesting that his performance would only improve as he becomes fitter, stronger, and more familiar with the team’s playing style. “What we’ve realised, it’s his second game for the club. He’s only going to get better and better, he’ll get fitter, he’ll get stronger, he’ll get a greater understanding of how we want to play. Hopefully he sees the player that we see in him.”
The Suns have shown signs of improvement after losing three of their last four games. They now sit in fifth place with a 5-3 record ahead of two upcoming matches in Darwin.
In other team updates, Hardwick mentioned that Matt Rowell is likely to face St Kilda on Saturday night. Rowell missed the previous game against the Giants due to an ankle injury. “He’s a tough kid … he’ll give himself his best chance,” Hardwick said about Rowell. However, he also stressed the importance of looking after players’ long-term interests. “But we’ve got to be mindful sometimes that we’ve got to look after the players long term interest.”
