Toast Jamarra Ugle-Hagan - Welcome to the club

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Bont pretty much immediately looked like a generational player when he stepped into the AFL side (~ mid year?). I was worried about him as a junior but that doubt quickly washed away. His VFL form was pretty good, with clear progression, but then as soon as he played AFL you could see he was special.

But - Bont didn't play in a position where 100% of the time, your opponent's whole job description is "don't let this guy breathe," nor did he miss a season of footy.

 

[TBOW]

Mia fevola.. I personally don’t get the hype.
Hopefully she isn’t a distraction for him anyway.

Yeah I'm hesitant to comment because I don't know the situation, but I hate the thought of a 21 year old publicity w#ore getting her claws into an 18 year old 'next big thing' before he's even played a game of football. Seems like she is just trying to stay in the spotlight and I really worry about what she would do to stay there.
I also worry that Jamarra at 18 doesn't have the maturity to know how to deal with the public nature of the realtionship and can see it being a massive distraction.
I really hope that my concerns are unfounded and that there are some mature heads helping guide Marra and keeping him on the right track.

 

[Dogforever]

Bontempelli was an obvious star very early on.
However records show that in his 4 VFL games in 2014 he kicked 2 goals.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Yeah it didn't take long.

Goal of the year went to some forgettable effort from a Port player, iirc

 

[Unorth]

Bont didn't have the hype coming in to the draft, but created it once he was in exceptionally quickly. That game against Melbourne was what really blew the lid off.

Jamarra on the other hand is our first #1 pick in this age of accessible highlights and 24/7 media. He was getting articles, his trick shots blowing up on social media...But that same media that's built him up will tear him down if he doesn't deliver unreasonably quickly.

I guess my opinion on the club's approach is that it's very sensible, but hopefully they don't get carried away with it. Make him earn the spot, but if he is earning it, even if (hypothetically) that's three or five games in, I don't see any point in holding out. Or if it takes most of the season, that's fine too, he missed a year of footy.

I know our forward line isn't in dire need of another tall, but it is in dire need of natural goalkickers/forwards rather than guys from other positions we've turned in to forwards, so if he does start racking them up with a sensible enough sample size he should be in. If the forward line does function better than expected then there's even less rush to bring him in, but I'm not holding my breath on that front.

I am glad the club is being mindful of the pressure though. Obviously we know first hand what can go wrong in this situation.

 

[stevieg1969]

Bontempelli was an obvious star very early on.
However records show that in his 4 VFL games in 2014 he kicked 2 goals.

Dogs outclass Zebras - VFL - GameDay

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This article says Bont kicked 4 goals v Sandy in 2014 - 3 goals in the 1st quarter.
My bad though it was for Footscray not Werribee

 

[Dogforever]

Cannot argue with that evidence. My VFL are not reliable but we all agree The Bont is a proper star.

 

[Dry Rot]

As someone who hasn’t followed footy for very long - how early did it become clear that Bont was a really special player?

In the womb.

 

[Cadillac]

What the hell did I just read ?

 

[Mantis Toboggan]

What the hell did I just read ?

View attachment 1075547

This feels like the last thing Marra needs. God knows what people see in girls like that. I hope it’s flash in the pan stuff.

 

[Libba39]

Can you sustain any long term nerve damage from a firmly applied pressure-point grip?

 

[doggies ftw]

A few assumptions being thrown around from presumably 50yo men about 21 yo girls they don’t know...

 

[Mantis Toboggan]

A few assumptions being thrown around from presumably 50yo men about 21 yo girls they don’t know...

Fair bit of irony in this comment.

 

[ThePhreshOne]

Boys. Stop it with the whinging about Mia.

Worry when there is something to worry about.

 

[doggies ftw]

Fair bit of irony in this comment.

Don’t worry it wasn’t lost on me but point still stands

 

[TBOW]

A few assumptions being thrown around from presumably 50yo men about 21 yo girls they don’t know...

It's not just the 21 year old girls - everyone under 30 is a waste of space.

 

[ringa5]

Hope this Kid really impresses in the VFL
And demands a spot early..Go Jamarra

 

[rip it up]

We have the luxury that no other team has had with a #1 draft pick.
We didn't finish bottom, we aren't desperately trying to find a new identity, provide supporters with hope. We already have this.

For JUH this hopefully will help with the pressures most see with carrying the #1 selection. We can afford to give him the time needed in VFL. When he is selected, if it is this year or next he will have earnt he's spot in the side on form and not on hope.

Add to this the unusual situation of missing a year through a pandemic, like we may see with a lot last years draft picks that missed a year, it will take time for them to find that match fitness.

 

[doggies ftw]

Also I dare say Mia Fev has access to a lotttt more money right now than JUH, I hardly doubt that’s all she’s looking for

 

[Dry Rot]

Is she Fev's daughter?

 

[Mantis Toboggan]

Also I dare say Mia Fev has access to a lotttt more money right now than JUH, I hardly doubt that’s all she’s looking for

I don’t think anyone has suggested she’s in it for his money. I think it’s more that she seeks publicity for a living. We all want JUH to knuckle down and develop with as little pressure as possible. This relationship won’t help that.

 

[ScragCity]

Interesting to learn that being of a certain age or gender precludes you from forming an opinion about someone who is in the public spotlight. Very woke take.

 

[Norm De Guerre]

 

[who_let_the_dogs_out]

As long as he trains hard and doesn't get too far ahead/full of himself (i.e. Stringer), I honestly couldnt care less who the kid is dating.

Good on him.

 

[doggies ftw]

Interesting to learn that being of a certain age or gender precludes you from forming an opinion about someone who is in the public spotlight. Very woke take.

Forming an opinion of someone literally because of their age and gender though scrag