Essendon captain Jobe Watson says he is incredibly proud of the way his teammates handled themselves during the 2013 season.

Watson said the way the playing group managed the pressures that came their way during the season was pleasing as captain og the group.

“I’m pleased with how the whole group maintained its focus,” Watson said.

“It was incredibly tough but never was there a stage when any of the playing group put their hand up and said I’ve had enough.”

“They all said no I want to be a part of this, I want to stay loyal to the club and to my teammates and to be the leader of that I was incredibly proud with how they behaved.”

The Bombers captain has enjoyed a break over the last few weeks spending time with teammates overseas.

He is confident that the issues that faced the club during 2013 will only make the club a stronger place.

“You look at the Melbourne Storm and how they handled it and if there is a blue print you couldn’t ask for a club to respond better then what they did,” Watson said.

“I think it will be something that as a group we will draw upon in the 2014 season.”

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Grand Final at the MCG Watson said he was buoyant about the direction the team was heading on the field.

“The consistency that those sides (top four) display, we have been slowly building and this year is the most wins we have had since 2001,” he said.

“If we can continue to get the young guys in their third and fourth year to develop and link that with the consistency of the side then hopefully we will be in a position like these other sides have been.”