Melbourne champion Garry Lyon has passionately urged the AFL world to “not give up” on Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, declaring Giants star Jesse Hogan – once “in a similar hole” to the troubled Bulldog – epitomises how a player can flip their career and life around.
Hogan, the reigning Coleman Medallist, was colossal in the Giants’ thrilling four-point win over Geelong on Sunday, booting 7.1 from 22 disposals and nine marks.
It came a day before Ugle-Hagan, who’s on indefinite leave of absence from the Bulldogs to deal with his personal issues, reportedly checked himself into an interstate health retreat.
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Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL 360, Lyon said Ugle-Hagan’s move less than a day after Hogan’s heroics at GMHBA Stadium was “timely” as he compared the journeys of the two key forwards.
“This is the greatest example for Jamarra if he wants to get a hold of something – and even for other clubs,” Lyon told AFL 360.
“Jesse Hogan found himself in all sorts of situations and circumstances that had Melbourne cutting him loose after he’d kicked 152 goals … yet they had to let him go. Fremantle took him, he had two really ordinary years … and they had to let him go, on the basis of not just footy, but off-field stuff. And he was in a hole.
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“We know what Jamarra has gone through, we know where he’s at in his footy … but Jesse Hogan was Jamarra. Jesse Hogan had all of these issues and by the time Jesse had left Fremantle … it looked like his career was gone. No one wanted to touch Jesse Hogan, eventually the GWS Giants said ‘we’ll have you’ for a third-round pick.
“Jamarra’s career has stalled, he’s played 67 games for 103 goals averaging 1.5 per game – Jesse averaged 1.8 when he was at the crossroads. Don’t give up on this guy, because we are now lauding Jesse Hogan as if not the most important player in the league, he’s in the best five. He’s a contested marking animal, Coleman Medallist who kicks big bags of goals – you can’t find them, they are as rare as rocking horse poo.
“Then you’ve got this bloke (Ugle-Hagan). I’m not saying he’s going to get there, but don’t give up on him. These blokes go through the trials – and I don’t know Jamarra and what he’s been up to and I know he posted that stupid thing about Nick (Riewoldt), he looks like he’s immature and battling – (but) Jesse was in a similar hole.
“He (Hogan) was given a chance, he got into an environment – I think Shane Mumford had him living out the back of his house with his family – and the penny dropped. He is now arguably the most important player in the competition – picked up for nothing, no one wanted a bar of him. Sound familiar?”
Lyon later added: “I would love it if Jesse Hogan could pick the phone up and say: ‘The life you’re leading now, you think it’s good and exciting being out and about. I’ll tell you what else is a really good life: Being the best forward in the competition and contending for premierships. That’s a pretty good life to lead as well – and that’s still there for you if you want it.’”
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AFL 360 co-host Gerard Whateley said Ugle-Hagan’s call to check into a health retreat was a positive step towards getting his life back on track, let alone reviving his AFL career.
“Don’t give up on yourself is the first step – and that’s what has happened (on Monday),” Whateley told AFL 360.
“This is the moment of facing up to his challenges and to his demons and to the responsibilities that may or may not lie ahead. But for all that we’ve known – a lot has been said – but not much has matched with actions. This is the first positive step action-wise we’ve seen for more than six months … this is his own choice.
“The AFL has laid out a program that he can take up or not – and that’s going to determine his football life – but this is much more about his real life first.
“Who knows, two weeks, two months, however long he needs to get himself into a condition where he’s in a better place in his life – and then whether he wants to contemplate football.
“The last football step is whether too much damage has been done in this environment (the Bulldogs) for it to happen. You say ‘don’t give up’, but it might be at the next club – or the next club.”
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