Tim Watson

Timothy Michael Watson (born 13 July 1961) is a former AFL player for Essendon & West Coast, former senior coach for St Kilda and current broadcaster for more than 30 years, with the Seven Network from 1992 - 2024 & 1116 SEN 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 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 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, 1985, 1988 and 1989). In 1989, he won the AFL Players Association MVP award, now known as the Leigh Matthews Trophy.

Watson played the ruck-rover in Essendon's 1984 and 1985 grand final victories. He was made captain in 1989 and held that position until 1991, 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 even though he had signalled his intention to retire. He never played a game for the club, instead continuing a commentary role with the Seven Network 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, 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 1984, 1985 and 1993 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".

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, 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 as St Kilda Football Club senior coach.

Statistics Playing statistics

307 335 276 4040 2060 6100 1176 151 1.1 0.9 13.2 6.7 19.9 3.8 1.3

Coaching statistics

44 12 31 1 28.4%

Media career Like many past players, Watson has become a media personality, serving as a sports presenter on Seven News 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 newspaper, and from 2004 until 2013 as a co-host on the Morning Glory show with Andrew Maher on Melbourne radio station 1116 SEN.

In November 2013, Watson resigned from 1116 SEN to spend more time at the Seven Network; it was later announced that he would replace Sandy Roberts as weeknight sport presenter on Seven News in Melbourne. In 2015, Watson returned to the breakfast shift at 1116 SEN.

In November 2024, Watson announced his retirement from the Seven Network. Rebecca Maddern has been confirmed as his replacement.

Personal life During the late 1970s, Watson's older brother Larry also played at Essendon as well as before moving to Adelaide to play with West Adelaide in 1981, going on to win the SANFL premiership with Wests in 1983.

In 1993, Watson was named 'Victorian Father of the Year'. In the 2002 National Draft, his son, Jobe Watson, was drafted by Essendon under the father–son rule. Tim and Jobe were both coached by Kevin Sheedy. Tim also has a younger brother Rick who currently lives in Tocumwal in New South Wales.

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