View source for Tim Watson

{{short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1961}}
{{other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Tim Watson
| image = Tim Watson 2017.jpg
| caption = Watson with [[Seven Network|Channel 7]] in 2017
| fullname = Timothy Michael Watson
| nickname = Watto, Whispers, The Whisp
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|7|13|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Dimboola, Victoria]], Australia
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| originalteam = [[Dimboola Football Club|Dimboola]]
| height = 185 cm
| weight = 96 kg
| position = Half-forward flank, ruck-rover
| statsend = 1994
| coachstatsend = 2000
| repstatsend = 1985
| years1 = 1977–1991
| club1 = {{AFL Ess}}
| games_goals1 = 282 (307)
| years2 = 1992
| club2 = {{AFL WC}}
| games_goals2 = 0 (0)
| years3 = 1993–1994
| club3 = {{AFL Ess}}
| games_goals3 = 25 (28)
| games_goalstotal = 307 (335)
| sooyears1 = 1983–1991
| sooteam1 = [[Victoria Australian rules football team|Victoria]]
| soogames_goals1 = 12 (76)
| coachyears1 = 1999–2000
| coachclub1 = {{AFL StK}}
| coachgames_wins1 = 44 (12–31–1)
| careerhighlights = *3× [[Australian Football League|VFL/AFL]] Premiership: [[1984 VFL Grand Final|1984]], [[1985 VFL Grand Final|1985]], [[1993 AFL Grand Final|1993]]
*[[Leigh Matthews Trophy|VFLPA MVP]] (Leigh Matthews Trophy): 1989
*4× [[Crichton Medal|Essendon Best & Fairest]]: 1980, 1985, 1988, 1989
*2 x VFL Team of the Year: 1983, 1989
*[[List of Essendon Football Club captains|Essendon captain]]: 1989–1991
*[[AFC Night Series]] Premiership [[List of Australian Football League pre-season and night series premiers|1981, 1984]]
*[[Australian Football Hall of Fame]]
*[[Essendon Football Club#Team of the Century|Essendon Team of the Century]] (<small>[[Follower (Australian rules football)|Ruck Rover]])</small>
*[[Essendon Football Club#Champions of Essendon|Champions of Essendon]]: #6
}}
'''Timothy Michael Watson''' (born 13 July 1961) is a former [[Australian rules football|AFL player]] for [[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]] and current broadcaster for more than 30 years, with the [[Seven Network]] since 1992 & [[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.<ref>Smith, Patrick (24 June 2009) [https://web.archive.org/web/20090627150022/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25680848-12270,00.html Buckley no elementary solution]</ref>

Watson has been a prominent and popular sports journalist and media personality.

==Playing career==
===Essendon===
Watson made his VFL debut in [[1977 VFL season|1977]] for Essendon at the age of fifteen years and 305 days, the fourth-youngest player in the history of the League.<ref>{{cite book|title=AFL 2005|editor=Lovett, Michael|publisher=AFL Publishing|location=Melbourne, Victoria|year=2005|page=542|isbn=0-9580300-6-5}}</ref>

Watson won the Essendon best-and-fairest award four times ([[1980 VFL season|1980]], [[1985 VFL season|1985]], [[1988 VFL season|1988]] and [[1989 VFL season|1989]]). In 1989, he won the [[AFL Players Association]] MVP award, now known as the [[Leigh Matthews Trophy]].<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24315730-19742,00.html Previous MVP winners] (8 September 2008)</ref>

Watson played the ruck-rover in Essendon's [[1984 VFL grand final|1984]] and [[1985 VFL grand final|1985]] grand final victories.  He was made captain in [[1989 VFL season|1989]] and held that position until [[1991 AFL season|1991]], before retiring from the game due to the injury problems that had plagued the later part of his career.<ref>{{Ref AFL Encyc|4th|677}}</ref> In the [[1992 AFL Draft|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 [[1992 AFL Grand Final|that year's grand final]], which the Eagles won.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.essendonfc.com.au/club/history/champions-of-essendon/tim-watson|title=Tim Watson|access-date=17 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player/Tim+Watson/11053|title=TIM WATSON|access-date=17 September 2023}}</ref> 

====Comeback====
Early in the [[1993 AFL season|1993 season]], Essendon senior coach [[Kevin Sheedy (Australian footballer)|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 [[1993 AFL Grand Final|unexpected premiership]] that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.essendonfc.com.au/club/history/champions-of-essendon/tim-watson|title=Tim Watson|access-date=17 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player/Tim+Watson/11053|title=TIM WATSON|access-date=17 September 2023}}</ref> 

After the [[1994 AFL season|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 VFL Grand Final|1984]], [[1985 VFL Grand Final|1985]] and [[1993 AFL Grand Final|1993]] premiership teams. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.essendonfc.com.au/club/history/champions-of-essendon/tim-watson|title=Tim Watson|access-date=17 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player/Tim+Watson/11053|title=TIM WATSON|access-date=17 September 2023}}</ref> 

Since his retirement, Watson was named the sixth-greatest player to ever play for Essendon in the "[[Essendon Football Club#Champions of Essendon|Champions of Essendon]]" list, and he was named ruck-rover in their "[[Essendon Football Club#Team of the Century|Team of the Century]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.essendonfc.com.au/club/history/champions-of-essendon/tim-watson|title=Tim Watson|access-date=17 September 2023}}</ref>

==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 AFL season|1999 season]] and the [[2000 AFL season|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 [[List of VFL/AFL wooden spoons|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.<ref>[http://footystats.freeservers.com/Special/2000review.html 2000 AFL review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507065941/http://footystats.freeservers.com/Special/2000review.html |date=7 May 2013 }}</ref> Watson was then replaced by [[Malcolm Blight]] as St Kilda Football Club senior coach.

==Statistics==
===Playing statistics===
:<ref>[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/T/Tim_Watson.html Tim Watson's player profile at AFL Tables]</ref>

{{AFL player statistics legend}}
{{AFL player statistics start}}
|-
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1977 VFL season|1977]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 32 || 16 || 16 || 10 || 136 || 69 || 205 || 36 || {{n/a}} || 1.0 || 0.7 || 8.5 || 4.3 || 12.8 || 2.3 || {{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1978 VFL season|1978]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 32 || 19 || 11 || 8 || 162 || 94 || 256 || 40 || {{n/a}} || 0.6 || 0.4 || 8.5 || 4.9 || 13.5 || 2.1 || {{n/a}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1979 VFL season|1979]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 32 || 23 || 34 || 27 || 223 || 111 || 334 || 82 || {{n/a}} || 1.5 || 1.2 || 9.7 || 4.8 || 14.5 || 3.6 || {{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1980 VFL season|1980]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 32 || 22 || 42 || 25 || 337 || 199 || 536 || 94 || {{n/a}} || 1.9 || 1.1 || 15.3 || 9.0 || 24.4 || 4.3 || {{n/a}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1981 VFL season|1981]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 32 || 17 || 15 || 21 || 246 || 111 || 357 || 52 || {{n/a}} || 0.9 || 1.2 || 14.5 || 6.5 || 21.0 || 3.1 || {{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1982 VFL season|1982]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 32 || 22 || 24 || 31 || 384 || 153 || 537 || 85 || {{n/a}} || 1.1 || 1.4 || 17.5 || 7.0 || 24.4 || 3.9 || {{n/a}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1983 VFL season|1983]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 32 || 26 || 27 || 20 || 442 || 171 || 613 || 115 || {{n/a}} || 1.0 || 0.8 || 17.0 || 6.6 || 23.6 || 4.4 || {{n/a}}
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1984 VFL season|1984]]†
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 32 || 22 || 25 || 22 || 327 || 142 || 469 || 118 || {{n/a}} || 1.1 || 1.0 || 14.9 || 6.5 || 21.3 || 5.4 || {{n/a}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
|style="text-align:center;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1985 VFL season|1985]]†
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 32 || 24 || 27 || 25 || 352 || 183 || 535 || 99 || {{n/a}} || 1.1 || 1.0 || 14.7 || 7.6 || 22.3 || 4.1 || {{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1986 VFL season|1986]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 32 || 3 || 0 || 2 || 40 || 26 || 66 || 6 || {{n/a}} || 0.0 || 0.7 || 13.3 || 8.7 || 22.0 || 2.0 || {{n/a}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1987 VFL season|1987]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 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" | [[1988 VFL season|1988]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 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" | [[1989 VFL season|1989]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 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 AFL season|1990]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 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" | [[1991 AFL season|1991]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 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 AFL season|1992]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WC}}
| 33 || 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
|style="text-align:center;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1993 AFL season|1993]]†
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 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 AFL season|1994]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 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===
:<ref>[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/coaches/Tim_Watson.html Tim Watson's coaching profile at AFL Tables]</ref>
{{AFL coaching statistics legend}}
{{AFL coaching statistics start}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | [[1999 AFL season|1999]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL StK}}
| 22 || 10 || 12 || 0 || 45.5% || 10 || 16
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | [[2000 AFL season|2000]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL StK}}
| 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]]'' 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]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-11 |title=Tim Watson confirms retirement from Seven News |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/11/tim-watson-confirms-retirement-from-seven-news.html |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=TV Tonight |language=en-AU}}</ref> [[Rebecca Maddern]] has been confirmed as his replacement. 

==Personal life==
During the late 1970s, Watson's older brother [[Larry Watson (footballer)|Larry]] also played at Essendon as well as {{AFL Fit}} before moving to [[Adelaide]] to play with [[West Adelaide Bloods|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'.<ref>[http://www.fathersdaycouncil.org.au/page9.html Victorian Father of the Year – past winners] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090913163431/http://www.fathersdaycouncil.org.au/page9.html |date=13 September 2009 }}</ref> In the [[2002 AFL Draft|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.<ref>Wilson, Caroline (29 June 2003). [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/06/28/1056683950398.html "Watsons show it's still a family game"].</ref>
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.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060216152546/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/champions/profile.asp?ID=57 Tim Watson – Champions of Essendon]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110706111908/http://www.sen.com.au/index.php?sectionID=4239&pageID=4259 Tim Watson – SEN profile]
* [http://www.saxton.com.au/default.asp?sd8=1651 Tim Watson – Saxton Speakers Bureau]
* [http://seven.com.au/news/profile_040131_timwatson Tim Watson – 7news profile]


{{1984/85 Essendon dual premiership players}}
{{1993 Essendon premiership players}}
{{Essendon Football Club captains}}
{{St Kilda Football Club coaches}}
{{Essendon Team of The Century}}
{{W. S. Crichton Medal}}
{{VFL/AFL club best and fairest winners in premiership years}}
{{AFL MVPs}}
{{Australian Football Media Association Player of the Year}}
{{1983 VFL Team of the Year}}
{{1989 VFL Team of the Year}}
{{navboxes
| title = Tim Watson in Victorian State of Origin teams
| titlestyle = background:#202231; color:white;
| list1 =
{{1983 Victoria State of Origin players}}
{{1984 Victoria State of Origin players}}
{{1989 Victoria State of Origin players}}
{{1990 Victoria State of Origin players}}
{{1991 Victoria State of Origin players}}
}}
{{1992 AFL pre-season draft}}
{{1993 AFL pre-season draft}}
{{Authority control}}

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