Jobe Watson should keep his Brownlow Medal, says Essendon chairman

ESSENDON chairman Lindsay Tanner remains steadfast that banned Bombers captain Jobe Watson should retain the Brownlow Medal he won in 2012.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 10: Jobe Watson of the Bombers leads the team out for the round eight AFL match between the Brisbane Lions and the Essendon Bombers at The Gabba on May 10, 2014 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

ESSENDON chairman Lindsay Tanner remains steadfast that banned Bombers captain Jobe Watson should retain the Brownlow Medal he won in 2012.

Tanner said the decision faced by the AFL Commission differed from the question of guilt or innocence for using the banned substance Thymosin Beta-4 in that year.

“It is a discretionary choice – a choice to be made by the sport,” Tanner said.

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“As far as we’re concerned it is an individual award and we will support Jobe in whatever approach he chooses to take, should it get to that.

“All I can do is express my view and the view of the Essendon Football Club – we won’t be the ones making the decision.

Jobe Watson trains with fellow banned Bombers. Picture: Hamish Blair

“Our view is that Jobe should retain that medal.

“We shouldn’t forget the fact that the AFL’s own independent tribunal … actually found that they were not satisfied the players had taken (banned) substances, let alone that they were guilty themselves.”

Tanner said he had not become involved in whether 31-year-old Watson – who is overseas – would return to the club next year.

Tanner said reports compensation claims for the 34 banned players could reach $50 million were wildly speculative.

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“Nobody is in a position to definitively say those kinds of figures ($30-$50m) are realistic or likely,” he said.

“We’re in early discussions with players’ representatives about some of those issues – but that’s all.”

Tanner said he expected the club’s insurer’s to try to minimise their own costs in the saga.

“We are insured but the question of the nature and extent of that insurance coverage is complex,” he said on 3AW.

“We’ve got a big challenge – we don’t quite know what the scale of that challenge will be.”