Troubled Western Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has alleged over Instagram that his car has been stolen.

The 23-year-old, who has returned to his AFL club in recent days after an extended leave of absence, posted two photos to his Instagram story on Monday night that appear to accuse a man of stealing his car from Bay Street in Port Melbourne.

“If you see this fella. Tell him drop my car back off at my house,” he wrote just before 7pm on Monday.

“Bay Street tax is crazy,” he added, alongside two laughing emojis.

The text was written over a screenshot of CCTV that captured a man in sunglasses and a cap.

In the background of the image is a portable triangle-shaped board out the front of a Guzman y Gomez franchise.

A bit over an hour later, Ugle-Hagan posted a photo of a Toyota HiLux, the registration of which is CSI 601.

It’s understood the car went missing on Monday afternoon.

It’s unclear when the image was captured, and there is no suggestion that Ugle-Hagan’s allegation is true, only that he made it.

It’s the latest twist in a tumultuous year for the highly talented AFL player.

In a podcast released on Sunday night, Ugle-Hagan addressed the depths of his mental health battles while sidelined this year.

The 2020 No.1 draft pick has returned to training with the Western Bulldogs but will need to put in weeks of work before being being considered for a return via the VFL.

The start of his comeback has arrived with the declaration that he is doing better, while opening up on the challenges of his year to date.

Ugle-Hagan spent time at a health retreat in northern NSW after having suicidal thoughts “pretty frequently”.

“All the noises actually sent me to a rehab facility for my mental health,” Ugle-Hagan told former AFL players Mitch Robinson and Rhys Mathieson on their podcast.

“It got to a point where I had to give my car to a mate so I couldn’t drive. I just didn’t trust myself driving.

“There were times when I would think about, to be honest with you, just not even worth even living.

“I went through a struggle where I didn’t want to leave the house. I hit rock bottom, and found basement.”

Ugle-Hagan said he “felt like I was on my own the whole time”.

“When you are down you want to keep finding an upper. My upper was probably staying and hanging out with my mates and getting on the p*** and training with them as well,” he said.

“But it just had no end goal, I didn’t have a game. I didn’t have anything.

“My mental health wasn’t in the right space so I was struggling, and I found it really tough to even enjoy football.

“I lost the fun in it. I didn’t want to play, it wasn’t even a priority because all I wanted to do was find something.

“But I didn’t know what that was until I have had this break.”

Ugle-Hagan also wasn’t just fighting his own battles during his time out, revealing he was also there at times of need for his friends.

He missed the Bulldogs’ centenary match earlier this year while helping out a friend in need.

“My best mate rang me on the phone and was about to take his own life and I had to call him out of it, while he was in Warrnambool,” he said.

“He come up that weekend and spent it with me and the game was on, that is why I didn’t go.”

The AFL would need to approve Ugle-Hagan’s comeback because he has been under the league’s mental health plan since taking leave.