WATSON, Jobe

Jobe Watson was recruited by the Club in 2002 with pick 40 in the 2002 National Draft under the father/son rule, being the son of Essendon legend, Tim Watson. He had a slow start to his career, playing only 13 games in his first three seasons. Osteitis pubis and recurring soft tissue injuries hampered his progress, but he also acknowledged that he was not fit enough. To address these issues, he began an intensive boxing training regime and began the 2006 season 7 kg lighter than the year before.

The results were immediate and he missed only one game in 2006 and finished second in the Club's Best and Fairest award. He went on to become one of the best midfielders in the competition and an inspirational captain.

He won the Crichton Medal in 2009, 2011 and 2012. He had a great season in 2012 and won the Brownlow Medal. He would have been stripped of his medal by the AFL due to the 2012 Supplements saga that saw 34 players and officials suspended from playing in 2016, but he pre-empted the decision and voluntarily returned it. The majority of football followers did not support the AFL in taking back his Brownlow Medal as no evidence was ever found of any player taking any banned substances in 2012, despite the guilty verdict. Jobe won 113 Brownlow Medal votes during his outstanding career.

He was made captain of the Club in 2010 and led until 2015. He was also a member of the All-Australian teams in 2012 and 2013. Ironically he won the AFLPA Best Captain Award in 2012. His leadership throughout the Supplements saga was exceptional as he became the face of the Club during the whole sorry episode, the one facing the cameras and reporters.

He played for the Australian International Rules team in 2014.

Watson understandably walked away from any involvement in football after his retirement at the end of 2017. He went to New York and set up a gym, a cafe and several other businesses. He eventually returned to Melbourne and gradually eased back into the football world. Like his father, Tim, he became a TV special commentator with the Seven Network.

He met Dutch model, Virginia Slaghekke, while working in New York. They later married and had three children.

He became head coach at his old school, Xavier College, in 2023.

Jobe Watson was an outstanding player and leader and no doubt will be recognised by the Club in Essendon's Hall of Fame once the appropriate time has elapsed.