After 13 rounds, Essendon captain Jobe Watson leads the AFL Coaches’ Association Champion Player of the Year Award.

With every team having now played 12 games the Essendon skipper leads the voting by two votes from Scott Pendlebury, Matthew Boyd and Scott Thompson.

Watson leap frogged Boyd last round polling eight votes for his inspiring 27-possesion performance in the teams’ 24 point win over Fremantle on Saturday night.

Watson now sits on 57 votes in the lead, the next best Bomber was Brent Stanton who led this year’s count after seven rounds and currently sits sixth with 49 votes.

Michael Hurley was adjudged the best performer in Saturday night’s victory receiving the full ten votes from the coaches.

Round 13 votes
Fremantle v Essendon
10 Michael Hurley (Ess)
8 Jobe Watson (Ess)
6 Michael Barlow (Frem)
2 Matthew Pavlich (Frem)
2 Brent Stanton (Ess)
1 Dyson Heppell (Ess)
1 Chris Mayne (Frem)

LEADERBOARD
57 Jobe Watson (Ess)
55 Scott Pendlebury (Coll)
55 Matthew Boyd (WB)
55 Scott Thompson (Adel)
54 Trent Cotchin (Rich)
49 Brent Stanton (Ess)
47 Gary Ablett (GC)
46 Dayne Beams (Coll)
42 Patrick Dangerfield (Adel)
40 Josh Kennedy (Syd)