Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says he wanted only one look at a photograph of Jamarra Ugle-Hagan’s highly effective stance towards racism to understand it had been an “iconic night” for his rising star ahead.
Ugle-Hagan kicked the opening purpose of the Bulldogs’ win towards the Brisbane Lions earlier than turning to the gang, lifting his jumper and pointing to his pores and skin in a recreation of Indigenous champion Nicky Winmar’s well-known pose from 30 years earlier.
Beveridge on Monday doubled down on his gushing reward of the 20-year-old, who bounced again from the racial abuse he obtained in the course of the Bulldogs’ loss to St Kilda the earlier week with an exhilarating five-goal haul towards the Lions.
“Right then, when you look at the photo, you realise it’s been … an iconic night for Marra (Ugle-Hagan) and the mob,” Beveridge advised Fox Footy.
“He’s absolutely shown the way from a performance perspective, and then been willing to make a real statement … like Nicky did 30 years ago.
“To say, ‘Hey, it isn’t ok … I’m a younger First Nations man and I’m not going to place up with it’. I really like that.
“I loved it when he went over and embraced his mates in the crowd at the end, which is probably the opposite feeling of what he had the week before.”
Beveridge was simply as impressed with how Ugle-Hagan dealt with himself off the sector, fronting as much as a press convention along with his coach and talking “from the heart” about what he’d needed to cope with.
“You could step back and just listen to him and hope some of his words and his statements and his expressions would have an impact on people,” Beveridge stated.
“I was asked whether I was proud of him. Everyone was proud of him and everyone has a right to be proud of him during those moments.
“(He’s) a gorgeous younger man who’s put up with lots … that drains your power, so to be so clutch he solely had 5 kicks, and kick 5 targets, was superb.
“It’s kind of like the Dreamtime really shone down on him.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
