The Western Bulldogs are "really hopeful" Jamarra Ugle-Hagan will play a key role in their forward line this AFL season but cannot yet put a timeline on the star's return to action.
Ugle-Hagan is on what the Bulldogs have referred to as a "flexible" training program, spending plenty of time away from the club as he deals with personal issues.
The former No.1 draft pick will not head to the Bulldogs' training camp in Noosa this week and appears increasingly likely to miss the early stages of the new season.
Teammate Jason Johannisen will certainly miss the opening rounds, sidelined for up to three months with another serious hamstring injury, though the outlook is better for Tim English and Aaron Naughton.
English is recovering from an abdominal injury and is on track to feature against Essendon in a pre-season hit-out on February 15.
Naughton, meanwhile, has gradually built his workload and is set to play in an intra-club hit-out in Noosa this week.
But Ugle-Hagan's immediate playing future remains clouded.
Bulldogs interim football boss Sam Power on Thursday said the 22-year-old's challenges are "not all new" and some have "been present for a little bit".
It is unclear when Ugle-Hagan will rejoin his teammates on a full-time basis, with Power declaring the talented forward's health and wellbeing the main priority.
"At the moment the focus is really on the short term with him and the support," Power told SEN on Thursday.
"We are really hopeful that he still plays an important role during 2025 and we want to set him up medium to longer term.
"That is clearly the aim of the club, to have Jamarra back playing, whenever that is, and have him excelling on field."
Ugle-Hagan was the Bulldogs' top draft pick in 2020 and has played 67 games over four seasons.
He had his most productive campaign last year, kicking 43 goals from 22 games.
