 | Bill Hutchison
Essendon great Bill Hutchison played 290 games for Essendon between 1942 and 1957 including captaining the Bombers on 122 occasions.
He played in ten grand finals, winning four premierships.
It was not just premiership glory that came Hutchison’s way as he won seven club best and fairest awards and two Brownlow Medals.
In 1955, ‘Hutchy’ almost took out his third Brownlow Medal losing by one vote to Fred Goldsmith. Dick Reynolds noted Hutchison’s impact on the game and the Essendon Football Club.
“He is the best rover Essendon ever had. He should have won three Brownlow Medals,” Reynolds once said.
“He was a great team man and he was the greatest footballer I met in my career. As far as I was concerned he was one in a million.” CAREER STATISTICS Played 1942-1957 Games 290 Goals 492 Brownlow Medal 1952,1953 Career Brownlow medal votes-172 Top 5 Brownlow medal finishes -1948,51,52,53,55 EFC Captain 1951-57 (122 games) EFC Best & Fairest 1946, 1948,1950,1952-53,1955-56 Top 5 EFC best & fairest finishes 1946,48-50,52-56 EFC Premiership player 1942,1946,1949,1950 |
 | Ken Fraser
Ken Fraser was an outstanding centre half forward and a fine Essendon captain.
He came from Essendon Baptists-St John's and went straight into the seniors.
He was a brilliant high mark and moved around the forward line with speed and precision.
He was also good on the ground and a superb team player.
Fraser was Essendon's captain from 1965 to 1968 after being vice captain in 1964.
He led the Dons superbly to the premiership in 1965 in his first year as skipper.
He had earlier been a member of the 1962 premiership team.
In 1968, he was ruled out of the grand final with a leg injury and his loss was a devastating blow to the Dons.
The centre half forward won Essendon's best and fairest award in 1963 and 1964.
He was runner up in 1965 and third in 1962.
He was also twice runner up in the Brownlow Medal - in 1962 with 19 votes and in 1964 also with 19 votes.
Fraser represented Victoria in 1959, 1960,1962, 1964, 1965 and 1966 and captained the State side in 1966. CAREER STATISTICS Played 1958-1968 Games 198 Goals 156 Premiership player 1962,1965 Grand Final appearances 1959,1962,1965 Finals played -14 EFC Captain 1965-1968 (72 games) EFC Vice Captain 1964 EFC Best & Fairest 1963,1964 Top 5 EFC best & fairest finishes 1963,1964, 1965 Top 5 Brownlow medal finishes -1962,1964-1965 Career Brownlow votes Victoria Rep. 1959-60, 1962, 1964-1966 Vic Captain 1966 |
 | Tim Watson A brilliant, creative half forward and later ruck rover, Watson started in 1977 at the age of 15.
He hailed from Dimboola and was one of the youngest ever players for the Dons.
By 1980 his superb ball skills, pace and balance combined to make him one of the League's most dynamic players.
He was a strong, aggressive, explosive player and fans would roar with excitement whenever he went near the ball.
He was Essendon's vice-captain from 1982 and was acting captain for some of that season.
Watson won the Dons' best and fairest award in 1980 and 1985 and was runner up in 1982 (equal) and 1983.
He finished his career with 307 games and 335 goals.
He starred as a ruck rover in both the 1984 and 1985 premiership wins, after being knocked unconscious early in the 1983 grand final.
He was also best on the ground in the 1981 night premiership win and starred on the half forward flank in the 1984 night premiership win.
He represented Victoria in 1980 at the age of 19 and was the second youngest State player ever in League history.
Watson was lured out of retirement and was a member of Essendon's 1993 premiership side. CAREER STATISTICS Played 1977-91,1993-94 Games 307 Goals 335 Premiership player 1984,1985,1993 Grand Final appearances-5 Finals games played - 23 EFC Captain 1989-1991 (83 games) EFC Vice Captain 1982-1988 EFC Best & Fairest 1980,1985,1988,1989 Top 5 EFC best & fairest finishes 1980,82-83,85,88,89 Top 5 Brownlow medal finishes -1980,1989 Career Brownlow votes-86 Night Premiership appearances - 1981,84,90,94 |
