“That’s why I’m gutted”: Why Watson is frustrated as an Essendon fan

Essendon great Tim Watson admits he is frustrated at seeing former Bombers flourishing at rival clubs.

The likes of Adam Saad (Carlton), Conor McKenna (Brisbane), Joe Daniher (Brisbane) and Massimo D’Ambrosio (Hawthorn) are all playing well at their current clubs and will be all involved in the 2024 finals series as the Dons watch on.

Additionally, Josh Dunkley is starring for the Lions after Essendon was unable to lure him from the Western Bulldogs when the midfielder requested a trade to the Dons late in 2020.

Former club captain Watson says it is gutting for him as a Bombers supporter to witness the mediocrity of the club while players they had, and almost had, are thriving elsewhere.

“The thing that got me upset over the weekend is when I’m sitting there and watching these other guys go around,” Watson said on SEN Breakfast.

“Everybody can have a story about their club and what they missed out on, I know that. I just wanted to put that out there, I know you’ve all got a story.

“But this is our story or my story about when I watch my team play.

“I watch Adam Saad run around for Carlton, I watch Conor McKenna run around for the Brisbane Lions off half-back. Two small, quick players that play defensive positions that we lack.

“I see Joe Daniher playing up forward for the Brisbane Lions, I see Josh Dunkley starring for the Brisbane Lions and we had him, and then I see Massimo D’Ambrosio playing at the weekend too.

“I look at those five players and I say to myself, ‘if we had those five players in our team this season we would not be competing just for a spot in the eight, we’d be looking at a top four spot’.

“That’s what guts me. That’s why I’m gutted as a fan. When you lose talent and you can’t keep the talent.

“The great players who’ve been recruited to your club and they walk out and that means you’ve got to start all over again and we haven’t been able to replace that type of player.

“We haven’t replaced Saad, we haven’t replaced McKenna in the last few years. We haven’t got players who can play in those positions yet.

“Daniher we haven’t replaced obviously. Dunkley would have been so great for our midfield. (We had) him up until a point, we could have done a deal. He was so disappointed that Essendon couldn’t get the deal done that he turned his back on Essendon and went to the Brisbane Lions. Good on him, he’s been a great player and a great citizen too.

“And then D’Ambrosio. Apparently we were just too slow in re-signing him. He was there, they rated him, but they were just too slow. They were unable to then sign him. Great work by Hawthorn. You identify a player, you go after them, you zero in, you offer them a longer term deal, you give them some love, you show that they’re going to be appreciated and often the game is then all over.”

D’Ambrosio rubbed further salt into the Essendon wound when he was named in the 44-man All-Australian squad in his debut season with the Hawks. Daniher was also named in the squad.

Watson insists he is not pointing the finger at anyone specifically but merely stating his disappointment with how the Dons have performed.

“I’m not trying to blame anyone in particular,” he added.

“But if you say it’s a club thing and those decisions or the inactivity or whatever it might be, they can condemn you to just mediocrity over a long period of time.”

The Bombers sat as high as second after Round 13 and were fourth as recently as Round 18 but lot six of their last seven to finish 11th, again missing finals under Brad Scott after falling similarly in 2023.