Jobe Watson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jobe Watson |
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Watson playing for Essendon in 2017
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Jobe Watson | ||
| Date of birth | 8 February 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Melbourne, Victoria | ||
| Original team | Sandringham Dragons (TAC Cup) | ||
| Draft | No. 40 (F/S), 2002 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 13, 2003, Essendon v. Geelong, at Telstra Dome |
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| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Jobe Watson (born 8 February 1985) is a former professional Australian rules football player. He played for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Jobe is the son of Tim Watson, a famous Essendon player.
Jobe was chosen by Essendon in the 2002 draft. He was picked under the father–son rule. This rule lets a club pick a player whose father played for them. Jobe became one of the best midfielders of his time. He was chosen for the All-Australian team twice. He also won the Crichton Medal three times. He was the captain of Essendon from 2010 to 2016.
Jobe Watson was one of many players who faced a suspension. This happened because of a special program at the Essendon Football Club. He had won the Brownlow Medal in 2012. This award is for the league's best and fairest player. However, he was later ruled ineligible in 2016. Because of this, he gave the medal back. Watson was suspended for the entire 2016 AFL season. He returned to play in 2017. After one more season, he retired from playing.
Today, Jobe Watson works as an AFL commentator. He works for the Seven Network. His father, Tim, also works as a commentator.
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Growing Up and Early Football
Jobe Watson went to Xavier College in Kew. He attended the junior campus, Kostka Hall, from years five to eight. This campus is in Brighton. He started playing junior football with the East Sandringham Junior Football Club. Later, he played for the Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup.
Jobe's father, Tim Watson, was also a great footballer. Tim played 307 games for Essendon. He played from 1977 to 1994. Tim won three premierships with the club. He was also the captain of Essendon from 1989 to 1991. After playing, Tim coached St Kilda for a few years. Now, like Jobe, he is a commentator for the Seven Network.
Jobe's AFL Journey
Jobe Watson was selected by Essendon in the 2002 national draft. He was pick 40 under the father–son rule. His first coach was Kevin Sheedy. Sheedy also coached Jobe's father, Tim. Initially, Jobe was coached to play as a key forward.
Some people thought his kicking needed to improve. It was decided he would be better as a midfielder. At first, some media criticised his weight. But over the next two seasons, he worked hard. He became one of the best midfielders in the league.
Becoming a Star Midfielder
In 2009, Watson had a very good season. He received ten votes for the Brownlow Medal. He also won Essendon's best-and-fairest award. This award is called the Crichton Medal. Watson played 21 games that year. He missed only one game due to an ankle injury. He won the Crichton Medal by a large number of votes. By the end of 2009, he was known as Essendon's most important midfielder. He also improved his kicking a lot.
On 21 December 2009, Watson was announced as Essendon captain. He took over from Matthew Lloyd, who had retired.
Leading the Team
The 2010 season was tough for Essendon. They won only seven games and finished 14th. But Watson had a great first year as captain. He was always a strong player for the team. He received 16 Brownlow votes. He finished equal-seventh in the 2010 Brownlow Medal count. This was the most votes for a player from a team outside the top eight. Watson won the Crichton Medal again. He was 50 points ahead of the second-place player.
In 2011, Watson had another good season. He missed six weeks because of a hamstring injury. But he still earned 15 Brownlow votes. He finished second in the Crichton Medal. David Zaharakis won that year.
Brownlow Medal and All-Australian Honours
Watson had an amazing 2012 season. He won the Brownlow Medal with 30 votes. (However, he was later ruled ineligible due to the club's supplements program.) He also won his third Crichton Medal. He received other awards too. These included the AFLPA best captain award. He was also selected in the 2012 All-Australian team as the centreman.
In 2013, Watson broke his collarbone and missed three weeks. But he still had a strong season. He earned 17 Brownlow votes. He finished second in the Crichton Medal to Brendon Goddard. He was also named on the interchange in the 2013 All-Australian team. From 2006 to 2013, Watson always finished in the top two for the Crichton Medal votes.
Watson started the 2014 season well. But he injured his hip in round 12. This meant he missed ten weeks of playing. He returned for the last three games of the season. He also played in Essendon's final loss to North Melbourne. Watson received eight Brownlow votes that year. He was also chosen for the Australian team. He played in the 2014 International Rules Series. Australia won the series by ten points.
Final Seasons and Retirement
In 2015, the Essendon team faced some challenges. Watson continued to lead his team well. In Round 14, Watson played his 200th AFL game. Essendon lost that game by a lot of points. After that match, Watson was out for the rest of the season. He had injured his shoulder the week before. He had received seven Brownlow votes before his injury. He was later suspended for the 2016 season. This was part of the club's supplements program.
Watson played his first game in over 18 months in 2017. It was also his first game without being captain since 2009. He and other suspended Essendon players returned to play Collingwood in the pre-season. Watson had a great return to football. He played a dominant game against Hawthorn in a 25-point win.
On 9 August 2017, Watson announced he would retire. This was with three rounds left in the season. He played in three of Essendon's last four matches. His final game was a loss to Sydney at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Watson played 20 games in his final season. This was the most games he had played since 2012. He finished his career with 220 games for Essendon.
Honours and Achievements
- Essendon captain: 2010–2016
- 2× All-Australian team: 2012, 2013
- 3× Crichton Medal: 2009, 2010, 2012
- AFLPA best captain award: 2012
- Australia representative honours in international rules football: 2014
- Yiooken Award: 2013
Life Outside Football
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When Jobe Watson was unable to play in 2014 due to injury, he did commentary work. He worked for the Seven Network as a boundary rider. He later returned to commentate in 2019 and joined Seven's team more permanently in 2020. He also appeared on TV shows like Footy Classified and Talking Footy.
While he was suspended in 2016, Watson worked at a coffee shop in New York City. It was called Hole in the Wall. When he announced his retirement, Watson said he had several business interests in the United States. These included two cafes, a gym, and a business that helps people buy property. He wanted to focus on these after retiring.
In June 2019, Watson took part in the Big Freeze at the 'G. This event raises money for the Cure for MND Foundation. Many former AFL players and Australian sportspeople join in.
Family Life
Jobe Watson met Virginia Slaghekke in 2016. She is a model from the Netherlands. They met at the coffee shop where Jobe worked in New York City. They started dating in August 2016. Virginia was studying neuroscience and pre-medicine at the time. She later moved to Melbourne for a student exchange program. This was to support Jobe during his last AFL season. They now have two children together.
Images for kids
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Watson playing in 2007
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Watson playing in 2017
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Watson (second from right) with friends at a film premiere in Sydney in March 2013
