Essendon CAS verdict: Jobe Watson could be stripped of Brownlow Medal, review in February

The decision to find the Essendon 34 guilty of being administered a banned drug could lead to Jobe Watson being stripped of his 2012 Brownlow Medal, with AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan revealing the Commission will consider the issue at a meeting in February.

As the AFL began dealing with the Court of Arbitration for Sport's decision to suspend the players for 12 months, McLachlan admitted on Tuesday Watson's grasp on the medal was up for debate.

He said Watson and other relevant parties would be asked to address the Commission meeting before it makes a decision.

"It is the AFL's view that due process must apply in this matter. Therefore, it was determined that the full Commission must hear this issue, and that the February meeting would provide the appropriate level of time for parties to get prepared," McLachlan said.

Banned Essendon player Jobe Watson with his 2012 Brownlow Medal.Credit: Sebastian Costanzo

"Jobe Watson will be invited to address the Commission, as potentially will other relevant parties."

Watson claimed the AFL's highest individual honour in a year in which the Bombers ran their injecting and supplements program under Stephen Dank.

The champion midfielder was found to have been given thymosin beta-4, a banned peptide.

AFL Players Association chief Paul Marsh said he hoped Watson would retain the medal but he said the PA board had yet to discuss the issue.

Illustration: Matt Golding

"I hope the AFL, with a decision that is under their control, can make a decision that would allow Jobe to keep the Brownlow Medal. That's my opinion," Marsh said.

Watson could be stripped under a WADA code ruling which says athletes will forfeit "any medals, points and prizes" won from the time of the offence to the start of a suspension, "unless fairness requires otherwise".

If the AFL was to act, Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell and Richmond's Trent Cotchin, who finished equal second, could be awarded the medal retrospectively.

The brilliant onballer may not play another match for the club if he decides it's time for a fresh start, or to even leave the game altogether.

Watson is one of several players set to examine legal action against the Bombers and possibly the AFL.

When the scandal broke in February 2013, Watson's father, Tim, also an Essendon great, said he would be "devastated" and "completely and utterly destroyed" should his son have to hand back the medal.

Former Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett is one prominent figure who had called for Watson to be stripped of the award should he be found guilty of taking a performance-enhancing drug.

The burden of the three-year saga became too much for Watson last year, and he was given time away by the club to recharge in Europe while recovering from season-ending shoulder surgery in July. Watson, 31 next month, had handled the added public spotlight well until that point although his form did suffer early last year.

However, he had been reinvigorated under new coach John Worsfold, and had retained the captaincy.

"I'd just lost the love for the game. It was difficult to go out and play. I think that I hadn't thought long and hard about it but I knew it wasn't really making me happy," he said last month.

"I had a long think about what I wanted out of footy and my role at the football club, and over there I sort of decided that I was still passionate about playing, and still had the urge to lead, and was excited about leading this team, this club."