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Jobe Watson Speaks of Moving Forward In The Aftermath Of Hird Resignation

Wistful Watson Says Bombers Look To Post-Hird Era
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 18: Bombers player Jobe Watson speaks to the media after James Hird announced his resignation as head coach of the Essendon Bombers AFL Football Club at True Vaule Solar Centre on August 18, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Michael Dodge via Getty Images
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 18: Bombers player Jobe Watson speaks to the media after James Hird announced his resignation as head coach of the Essendon Bombers AFL Football Club at True Vaule Solar Centre on August 18, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Essendon captain Jobe Watson has speculated whether the supplements saga and the resignation of coach James Hird would be career defining for him and other players at the beleaguered club.

Commenting that this whole issue had not been easy for anyone, he spoke of Hird’s reference yesterday to dealing with adversity and would this adversity define the players and the club.

“Will the players be able to find a way to move forward?” Watson said to media outside the club.

“Players can’t have complete space until it’s over. Will it define my career? Will it define the rest of the players’ careers? Will it define the football club for a long period of time or will the club find a way to move forward?”

He added thoughtfully, “That is the challenge in adversity.”

Watson looked dejected and tired as he spoke of the ongoing toll this episode in the club’s history had taken, the latest and most significant of which it could be argued, is the coach’s decision to walk away.

The aftermath of Hird’s surprise resignation as Essendon coach yesterday is still being felt across the football world.

As just the next installment in the tale that is the ongoing 2012 supplements saga, the question of what comes next for the Bombers is on everyone’s mind.

But it was business as usual this morning as the club looks ahead to the weekend’s game against the Gold Coast Suns in Queensland.

Assistant coach Matthew Egan has been named as the interim coach to take the Bombers through the remainder of the 2015 season.

When asked by reporters about his feelings towards Hird, Watson said “I don’t feel resentment. I just feel sad.”

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