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Collingwood skipper Nick Maxwell has paid tribute to Essendon’s Jobe Watson for how he has led his players through one of the most difficult pre-seasons in memory for an AFL club.
With the Bombers’ lead-in to 2013 spent front and centre in the Australian sport drugs scandal, they can at least temporarily put aside the drama on Friday night as they open the AFL season against Adelaide.
Few would be looking forward to getting down to business more than Brownlow Medallist Watson.
He has had to marshal a group of players unsure what anti-doping officials’ probe into the club’s use of supplements will bring, and keep their minds focused on football rather than uncertain futures.
No stranger to dealing with controversial situations himself as an AFL skipper, Maxwell says Watson appears to have handled a difficult challenge very well.
“I’ve been in just about every situation a captain has to be in with negative stuff, positive stuff and everything in between, and you feel for what they’re going through as players,” Maxwell said.
“All in all, Jobe has done a really good job with his playing group in getting them up and focused on what they have to achieve every week.
“And that’s all you can do.
“If they let that worry them, the outside stuff, then it’s going to hurt the on-field stuff.
“Jobe’s got to be patted on the back for what he’s done.”
While Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson has called for Crows players and fans not to sledge the Bombers over the issue at AAMI Stadium, few know just how hot the reception will be in Adelaide until Essendon run out.
Watson says he doesn’t care personally whether there is sledging or not – he’s relieved to have an opportunity to simply play.
“Obviously there were stressful times throughout the pre-season and specifically the last six weeks. But what we do have is an opportunity to do what we are paid to do,” Watson said on Tuesday.
“At the moment the player group is feeling really upbeat and very excited.”
Watson is confident forward David Zaharakis has overcome his latest quadriceps setback.
Zaharakis has played little during the pre-season, but Watson expects his teammate to be alongside him on Friday night.
“He played his first game last weekend in the VFL, but he’s been able to do a lot of the training (in recent weeks),” Watson said.
“They’ve held him back to get extra work into him. I’d be very surprised if he wasn’t there on Friday night.”
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