Despite being one of the Bendigo Bombers most consistent players earlier in the season, injury has interrupted Jobe Watson’s season in recent weeks. An ongoing hamstring strain has resulted in Watson being sidelined for the past three weeks. At this stage he is due to return the week after the mid-season bye.

When fully fit, Watson has the potential to become a key player in the Essendon line-up. The 19-year-old has great football smarts and knows how to find the footy. He is another midfielder with plenty of promise. We get Mark Harvey to comment on the possibility of a return to senior football for Jobe Watson.

Q. Is Watson a player who can make an impression in the second half of the season?
A. Jobe has got to get over a repeated injury and get his body right. We are going to have to give him a really good preparation in the reserves so that hopefully once again he can play some sort of role late in the season.

Q. What attributes of his game can help the club challenge for a top four position?
A. In all honesty, Jobe has got to put together a good month of football together before he gets back to anywhere near senior match fitness.

I think what we have done with Jobe in the past year or so is that we have tended to put him into the seniors when perhaps he wasn’t fully wound up in his game time and in his fitness.

Q. He has been one of Bendigo’s better players this year, but has struggled at the next level. Is it a confidence thing or do fans just need to be patient with Jobe?
A. Initially in the first couple of years in a player’s career it is a huge confident thing because they’re still finding out whether they’re good enough. A lot of things go through their mind but we think Jobe has got the football instinct to be a long-term player. It’s just a matter of him getting everything right with his make-up as a footballer.