Bert Watson
Melbourne
AFL career
11 games0 goals
- Debut
- R1 1897 v SME8 May 1897
- Most recent
- SR1 1897 v COL21 Aug 1897
Stats
Bio
Recruited from Melbourne Grammar, Bert Watson holds a unique place in history as a foundation player for the Demons, taking the field in the club's very first VFL match against South Melbourne in Round 1, 1897. A reliable backman who had featured for the club in the VFA the previous year, he played 11 games in the competition's inaugural season, featuring through to the Semi Final against Collingwood. However, his football journey was fleeting; Watson hung up the boots after just one VFL season to switch focus to lacrosse. Remarkably, his sporting legacy was ultimately defined off the field, where he later became an Australian chess champion.
Profile
- Born
- 23 Oct 1878
- Died
- 05 Mar 1961 (aged 82y 133d)
- Birthplace
- Horsham, VIC
- Weight
- 85 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from Melbourne Grammar, Bert Watson holds a unique place in history as a foundation player for the Demons, taking the field in the club's very first VFL match against South Melbourne in Round 1, 1897. A reliable backman who had featured for the club in the VFA the previous year, he played 11 games in the competition's inaugural season, featuring through to the Semi Final against Collingwood. However, his football journey was fleeting; Watson hung up the boots after just one VFL season to switch focus to lacrosse. Remarkably, his sporting legacy was ultimately defined off the field, where he later became an Australian chess champion.