Jamarra Ugle-Hagan at Gold Coast training at People First Stadium, January 27, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

THERE will be no rushing Jamarra Ugle-Hagan into Gold Coast's AFL team, with coach Damien Hardwick saying the big-name recruit needs more match fitness at the lower level.

Ugle-Hagan was left out of the Suns' Opening Round team that defeated Geelong and has again been overlooked for the 26-man squad to face West Coast on Sunday.

After not playing a single game in 2025, the 23-year-old played two pre-season matches and then booted five goals in a VFL practice hit-out against Southport last Friday.

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But Hardwick says he wants to see more.

"It's more match fitness. He has missed a lot of footy," Hardwick said on Friday morning.

"He came into my office this morning, he's a little bit disappointed. 

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"He wants to play and is keen to play and we're keen to play him as well.

"As I said last week, we want to set him up for success. We've got to make sure when he's ready to go, he's ready to play out the full year.

"I see this guy as a long-term player for us."

Gold Coast's VFL team plays QAFL outfit Palm Beach Currumbin this weekend before opening its season against Werribee on March 22.

They then have a bye, in line with the AFL team, the following week and another bye to accommodate Gather Round two weeks after that.

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Hardwick said Ugle-Hagan was "in a hurry" to succeed.

"He'll be a little bit frustrated at various stages, which is good because you want a driven guy and he's very much like that.

"I can't wait to see him out there."

Fellow key forward Jed Walter has been named in the extended squad to face the Eagles after serving a one-match suspension, although Hardwick conceded he is unlikely to make any changes from the team that belted the Cats.

He said there would be no taking West Coast lightly at People First Stadium in the final game of the round.

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"Everyone will look at the odds, but what I do know is Andrew McQualter has got a great system in place. The only KPI they didn’t win (in the AAMI Community Series) against Port Adelaide was on the scoreboard. 

"Their system is very very strong.

"We went through that with our playing group this morning and understand we've got to play our game to a high level, otherwise we're going to get a disappointing result.

"People will look at the youth but they're very good young players. There's a reason they got picked high in the draft, they can play the game.

"There's a challenge there and we've got to make sure we’re up for it."