‘Got told to do it’: Jamarra’s rehab reveal as courageous star lifts lid on career turnaround

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has courageously reflected on his journey back to football, pulling back the curtains on the dark spot he was in last year.

The potent forward also revealed the AFL’s ultimatum to him to get his footy career back on track.

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Since his trade from the Western Bulldogs last October, the 24-year-old has rejuvenated himself in the Gold Coast, where he’s now playing regular senior footy for the Suns under Damien Hardwick.

Made to earn his club debut, Ugle-Hagan in Round 7 broke a 596-day AFL drought to make his first Suns senior appearance against Hawthorn.

He’s kept his spot in Hardwick’s side since then, including an impressive three-goal display in Gold Coast’s 20-point win over the Giants in Round 8.

“To get another opportunity, a second chance, I’ve just been looked after here by ‘Dimma’ - grabbed me with open arms, looked after me,” Ugle-Hagan told Fox Footy after his first Suns home game.

“This club’s amazing, the boys are supportive. It’s going well, I’m happy.”

It’s been a season spent reaping deserved rewards for Ugle-Hagan, who’s endured more than his fair share of tough times at the top level.

The once-fledgling Ugle-Hagan recently detailed his arduous road back to stability in interviews with both Code Sports and The Age.

In a notable reveal, the 2020 No. 1 draft pick told Cold Sports’ Lauren Wood that he was made to attend a rehab facility in Byron Bay - where he ultimately spent four months - if he wanted to resurrect his career.

“I had to do work on myself, which was, honestly … I didn’t want to do it,” Ugle-Hagan said.

“I actually got told to do it (rehab) by the AFL, for me to come back and play games.

“I always thought that I was going to play AFL again. It’s just that I just had a different mindset.

“Unfortunately, I was on antidepressants, and I just was so numb to everything.”

Ugle-Hagan also acknowledged he wasn’t being influenced by the right “environments”, adding: “I wasn’t myself. I didn’t have that right bubble.

“I was so numb to emotions, feelings … and I didn’t know that was affecting things around me, because of just the way I was and the environments I was hanging around with.”

The high-flying key forward told The Age’s Jake Niall that he holds no ill feeling towards the Bulldogs, who dealt Ugle-Hagan to the Suns for just Pick 74 last year.

“I wouldn’t say anything went wrong,” he said of his time at his former club.

“I just think it was more myself, decisions I made, and me as a stubborn little kid.

“I just thought I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I didn’t think I was affecting anything ... I don’t know how to explain it, but just boys would reach out to me and say, ‘Mate, you need to stop hanging out with this person. You need to, you know, look after yourself and come this way’.

“And I’m like, ‘No, it’s fine. It’s all good. Don’t worry about it’. Then, before you know it ...”

Now, Ugle-Hagan has a strong support system in Carrara, where his presence in Hardwick’s side is important as the Suns prepare for a tilt at a maiden premiership.

But there’s not a lot of expectation being placed on him internally, other than to enjoy his footy.

“The great thing about footy is redemption. It provides an incredible opportunity for people to get back something that they’ve missed for a long period of time,” Hardwick said in a team address when revealing Ugle-Hagan would make his Suns debut in April.

“Mate, you’ve had an incredible journey, you’ve been through a hell of a lot, but now it’s your story to write.

“You’ve worked your backside off, we’ve made you wait for it, but more importantly, we know you’re going to be here for the long term.”

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