Timothy Michael Watson (born 13 July 1961) is a former AFL player for

Essendon Essendon may refer to: Australia *Essendon, Victoria **Essendon railway station **Essendon Airport *Essendon Football Club, in the Australian Football League *Electoral district of Essendon *Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington United Kin ...

and current broadcaster for more than 30 years, with the

Seven Network Seven Network (stylised 7Network, and commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is an Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, ...

since 1992 &

1116 SEN 1116 SEN (call sign 3AK) is an Australian radio station in Victoria, Australia. Owned and operated by Sports Entertainment Group, it broadcasts a sports radio format. It commenced broadcasting on 29 November 1931 as 3AK, the station currently ...

radio. After retiring from the game, he also continued working in the Australian football industry as a coach. Watson was the fourth-youngest player ever to play in the

VFL/AFL The Australian Football League (AFL) is the pre-eminent professional sports, professional competition of Australian rules football. It was originally named the Victorian Football League (VFL) and was founded in 1896 as a breakaway competition ...

competition and made a comeback after retirement which included another premiership. Watson has been a prominent and popular sports journalist and media personality.

Playing career

Essendon

Watson made his VFL debut in

1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...

for Essendon at the age of fifteen years and 305 days, the fourth-youngest player in the history of the League. Watson won the Essendon best-and-fairest award four times (

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...

1988 1988 was a crucial year in the early history of the Internet—it was the year of the first well-known computer virus, the Morris worm, 1988 Internet worm. The first permanent intercontinental Internet link was made between the United State ...

and

1989 1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...

). In 1989, he won the

AFL Players Association The AFL Players Association (AFLPA, also simply known as AFL Players) is the representative body for all current and past professional Australian Football League (AFL) and AFL Women's (AFLW) players. The AFLPA promotes and protects its member ...

MVP award, now known as the

Leigh Matthews Trophy The Leigh Matthews Trophy is an annual award given by the AFL Players Association to the Most Valuable Player in the Australian Football League. It is named in honour of Leigh Matthews, who won the first MVP award in 1982, when the league was s ...

. Watson played the ruck-rover in Essendon's

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

and

grand final victories. He was made captain in

and held that position until

1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...

, before retiring from the game due to the injury problems that had plagued the later part of his career. In the 1992 pre-season draft, Watson was recruited by the

West Coast Eagles The West Coast Eagles are a professional Australian rules football club based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and first competed in 1987 as one of two expansion teams in the Australian Football League (AFL), then known ...

even though he had signalled his intention to retire. He never played a game for the club, instead continuing a commentary role with the

for 1992, which included working as a boundary rider in that year's grand final, which the Eagles won.

Comeback

Early in the

1993 season The General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its calendar advanced 24 hours to th ...

, Essendon senior coach Kevin Sheedy lured Watson out of retirement. Although Watson was not as fit as he had once been, and was never able to recapture his top form, he played a vital role in the forward line, kicking some important goals throughout the year. His experience in what was a very young team was instrumental in helping Essendon win an unexpected premiership that year. After the 1994 season, Watson retired for good as a player, having played 307 games and kicked 335 goals for Essendon. He was also a member of Essendon's

and

1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...

premiership teams. Since his retirement, Watson was named the sixth-greatest player to ever play for Essendon in the " Champions of Essendon" list, and he was named ruck-rover in their "

Team of the Century In team sport, team of the century and team of the decade are hypothetical best teams over a given time period. For the century team, it can be either 100 years, or for a century (always the 20th). Similarly the team of the decade can be for 10 y ...

Coaching career

St Kilda Football Club senior coach (1999–2000)

Watson became senior coach of the St Kilda Football Club, when he replaced Stan Alves, after Alves was sacked at the end of the 1998 season. Watson was then the senior coach of the St Kilda Football Club in the 1999 season and the 2000 season. His success was limited, with the side winning only 12 of the 44 matches they played while he was in charge, including drawing once and losing 31, bringing the winning percentage to 27 percent. In the 1999 season, St Kilda finished tenth on the ladder with ten wins and twelve losses. In the 2000 season, St Kilda won only two games for the entire season, with one draw and 19 losses, where they finished 16th (last on the ladder) for the

wooden spoon A wooden spoon is a Kitchen utensil, utensil commonly used in food preparation. In addition to its culinary uses, wooden spoons also feature in folk art and culture. History The word ''spoon'' derives from an ancient word meaning a chip of woo ...

, and Watson resigned during the middle of the 2000 season, where he would step down at season's end, forgoing the final year of his three-year contract. Watson was then replaced by

Malcolm Blight Malcolm Jack Blight AM (born 16 February 1950) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for and coached the North Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and Woodville Football Club in the South Australian Na ...

as St Kilda Football Club senior coach.

Statistics

Playing statistics

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, style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 16 , , 16 , , 10 , , 136 , , 69 , , 205 , , 36 , , , , 1.0 , , 0.7 , , 8.5 , , 4.3 , , 12.8 , , 2.3 , , , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 19 , , 11 , , 8 , , 162 , , 94 , , 256 , , 40 , , , , 0.6 , , 0.4 , , 8.5 , , 4.9 , , 13.5 , , 2.1 , , , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 23 , , 34 , , 27 , , 223 , , 111 , , 334 , , 82 , , , , 1.5 , , 1.2 , , 9.7 , , 4.8 , , 14.5 , , 3.6 , , , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

, style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 22 , , 42 , , 25 , , 337 , , 199 , , 536 , , 94 , , , , 1.9 , , 1.1 , , 15.3 , , 9.0 , , 24.4 , , 4.3 , , , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 6 – A funeral service is held in West Germany for Nazi Grand Admiral ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 17 , , 15 , , 21 , , 246 , , 111 , , 357 , , 52 , , , , 0.9 , , 1.2 , , 14.5 , , 6.5 , , 21.0 , , 3.1 , , , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 22 , , 24 , , 31 , , 384 , , 153 , , 537 , , 85 , , , , 1.1 , , 1.4 , , 17.5 , , 7.0 , , 24.4 , , 3.9 , , , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1983 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 26 , , 27 , , 20 , , 442 , , 171 , , 613 , , 115 , , , , 1.0 , , 0.8 , , 17.0 , , 6.6 , , 23.6 , , 4.4 , , , - , style="text-align:center;background:#afe6ba;",

† , style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 22 , , 25 , , 22 , , 327 , , 142 , , 469 , , 118 , , , , 1.1 , , 1.0 , , 14.9 , , 6.5 , , 21.3 , , 5.4 , , , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" , style="text-align:center;background:#afe6ba;",

† , style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 24 , , 27 , , 25 , , 352 , , 183 , , 535 , , 99 , , , , 1.1 , , 1.0 , , 14.7 , , 7.6 , , 22.3 , , 4.1 , , , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. ** Spain and Portugal en ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 3 , , 0 , , 2 , , 40 , , 26 , , 66 , , 6 , , , , 0.0 , , 0.7 , , 13.3 , , 8.7 , , 22.0 , , 2.0 , , , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 7 , , 5 , , 8 , , 84 , , 29 , , 113 , , 18 , , 13 , , 0.7 , , 1.1 , , 12.0 , , 4.1 , , 16.1 , , 2.6 , , 1.9 , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

, style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 19 , , 24 , , 17 , , 300 , , 136 , , 436 , , 92 , , 22 , , 1.3 , , 0.9 , , 15.8 , , 7.2 , , 22.9 , , 4.8 , , 1.2 , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

, style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 24 , , 23 , , 15 , , 334 , , 205 , , 539 , , 99 , , 39 , , 1.0 , , 0.6 , , 13.9 , , 8.5 , , 22.5 , , 4.1 , , 1.6 , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1990 Important events of 1990 include the Reunification of Germany and the unification of Yemen, the formal beginning of the Human Genome Project (finished in 2003), the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the separation of Namibia from South ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 21 , , 19 , , 21 , , 262 , , 156 , , 418 , , 93 , , 26 , , 0.9 , , 1.0 , , 12.5 , , 7.4 , , 19.9 , , 4.4 , , 1.2 , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

, style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 17 , , 15 , , 13 , , 192 , , 139 , , 331 , , 65 , , 13 , , 0.9 , , 0.8 , , 11.3 , , 8.2 , , 19.5 , , 3.8 , , 0.8 , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 33 , , 0 , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" , style="text-align:center;background:#afe6ba;",

† , style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 16 , , 26 , , 11 , , 154 , , 101 , , 255 , , 58 , , 26 , , 1.6 , , 0.7 , , 9.6 , , 6.3 , , 15.9 , , 3.6 , , 1.6 , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 32 , , 9 , , 2 , , 0 , , 65 , , 35 , , 100 , , 24 , , 12 , , 0.2 , , 0.0 , , 7.2 , , 3.9 , , 11.1 , , 2.7 , , 1.3 , - class="sortbottom" ! colspan=3, Career ! 307 ! 335 ! 276 ! 4040 ! 2060 ! 6100 ! 1176 ! 151 ! 1.1 ! 0.9 ! 13.2 ! 6.7 ! 19.9 ! 3.8 ! 1.3

Coaching statistics

: , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" ,

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 22 , , 10 , , 12 , , 0 , , 45.5% , , 10 , , 16 , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" ,

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 22 , , 2 , , 19 , , 1 , , 11.4% , , 16 , , 16 , - class="sortbottom" ! colspan=2, Career totals ! 44 ! 12 ! 31 ! 1 ! 28.4% ! colspan=2,

Media career

Like many past players, Watson has become a media personality, serving as a sports presenter on ''

Seven News Seven News (stylised 7NEWS) is the television news service of the Seven Network and, as of 2021, the highest-rating in Australia. National bulletins are presented from Seven's high definition studios in South Eveleigh, Sydney, while its flags ...

'' in Melbourne as well as having a special comments role on Seven's AFL coverage. He has also appeared on many football-related TV shows: as a sports columnist in ''

The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...

'' newspaper, and from 2004 until 2013 as a co-host on the ''Morning Glory'' show with Andrew Maher on Melbourne radio station

. In November 2013, Watson resigned from

to spend more time at the

; it was later announced that he would replace Sandy Roberts as weeknight sport presenter on ''

'' in Melbourne. In 2015, Watson returned to the breakfast shift at

. In November 2024, Watson announced his retirement from the

Rebecca Maddern Rebecca Maddern (born 6 August 1977) is an Australian television presenter and journalist. Maddern is currently Chief Sports Presenter on '' Seven News Melbourne.'' She has worked at Seven Network for over a decade, where she was a presenter ...

has been confirmed as his replacement.

Personal life

During the late 1970s, Watson's older brother

Larry Larry is a masculine given name in English, derived from Lawrence or Laurence. It can be a shortened form of those names. Larry may refer to the following: People Arts and entertainment * Larry D. Alexander, American artist/writer * Larry Boo ...

also played at Essendon as well as before moving to

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

to play with West Adelaide in 1981, going on to win the

SANFL The South Australian National Football League, or SANFL ( or ''S-A-N-F-L''), is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the state's sports governing body, governing body for the sport. ...

premiership with Wests in 1983. In 1993, Watson was named 'Victorian Father of the Year'. In the

2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...

National Draft, his son,

Jobe Watson Jobe Watson (born 8 February 1985) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Watson, the son of three-time Essendon premiership champion Tim Watson, w ...

, was drafted by Essendon under the

father–son rule The father–son rule is a rule that allows clubs preferential recruiting access to the sons of players who have made a major past contribution to the club in Australian rules football, most notably in the Australian Football League. The rule ...

. Tim and Jobe were both coached by Kevin Sheedy.Wilson, Caroline (29 June 2003)
"Watsons show it's still a family game"
Tim also has a younger brother Rick who currently lives in

Tocumwal Tocumwal ( ) is a town in the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia, in the Berrigan Shire Local government in Australia, local government area. The town, north of the city of Melbourne, lies on the northern bank of the Murray ...

in New South Wales. Tim is married to Susie Watson; their children include son Jobe and daughters Billie, Tess and Grace.

References

External links

Tim Watson – Champions of Essendon

Tim Watson – SEN profile

Tim Watson – Saxton Speakers Bureau

Tim Watson – 7news profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Tim St Kilda Football Club coaches 1961 births Essendon Football Club players Essendon Football Club premiership players Leigh Matthews Trophy winners Champions of Essendon Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state) Seven News presenters Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees Victorian State of Origin players Crichton Medal winners Dimboola Football Club players Living people VFL/AFL premiership players