WESTERN Bulldogs star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is back training again but is "unlikely" to play Fremantle this weekend, while All-Australian Caleb Daniel is again set to be overlooked for an AFL return.
Ugle-Hagan missed last week's win over St Kilda while he returned home for personal reasons. The key forward was back at the club on Wednesday, but coach Luke Beveridge indicated he won't make the trip to Perth to face the Dockers on Saturday night.
"It's unlikely he'll play this week, we just want to make sure he's OK," Beveridge said. "He's processing a few things on a personal level, and us supporting him, so he might not play this week at all.
"I can’t really give you much more than that. He's back in today for the first full day, and he'll train and we'll get him going again. We'll just look after him, and hopefully he can play some footy again soon, but that's not the priority at the moment.
"In the game, and the pressures of it, every player across the land is always dealing with something as far as external scrutiny and the internal expectations, and 'Marra' is no different.
"He's had some relations pass in recent times too, so he's had that grieving and the mourning aspect of his life that has sort of compounded things for him."
While a senior return this weekend seems unlikely, Ugle-Hagan could instead take part in a clash against the Marsh AFL National Academy Boys with Footscray, which has the VFL bye this weekend.
Daniel, who was dropped from the senior side two weeks ago, could also take part in the VFL game or head to Perth as an emergency, but Beveridge indicated a recall is unlikely.
The coach said a "quite outstanding" start to the season for veteran small defender Taylor Duryea and the impressive performance of Lachie Bramble on Saints forward Jack Higgins last weekend makes it difficult to fit Daniel into the backline.
"(Daniel is) unlikely to come in this week, but we might take him to Perth just in case we need him," Beveridge said.
While Tom Liberatore is set to return this week to boost the Dogs' midfield, Beveridge said the spot of young draftee Ryley Sanders – who was made the sub against the Saints – had "come under pressure" and that the 18-year-old was "learning all the time" about the club's defensive structure.
"It's more about what (the younger players) are doing when they're not directly involved in the game, and he's learning all the time about where to be, whether we've got the footy or the opposition has it," Beveridge said.
"It's in that as to why he's come off a couple of times and been subbed, and then found himself as the sub last week, so he gets it ...
"You've got to strike a balance of forcing the opportunity of a young man like Ryley, who's going to be critical for our club in the future, and making sure you fortify your opportunity to win every week."
