Watson leaps into 2016

After a lively offseason, Sharks recruit Matthew Watson is excited to be getting back to playing footy ahead of this weekend’s season opener against Swan Districts.

The big bodied full forward will surely become a fan favourite as he bolsters a forward line that is looking to remedy its goal kicking woes from late last season.

After being delisted by Carlton and missing out at the rookie draft, the Victorian wasted little time in making his move west and getting ready for a big debut season in the WAFL.

“It’s been a good preseason,” said Watson after Tuesday’s training session.

“I came over here pretty much straight away a couple days after the rookie draft to get started training. I haven’t missed a session and I’ve been pretty injury free which has been handy.”

While the Carlton connection with coach Rob Wiley helped get the ball rolling for the move west, Watson said the playing group played a crucial role in his decision.

“[Wiley] was definitely a big influence, having known him in Carton a couple years,” said Watson.

“But at the same time the club did a training session when I came over in November for a couple days and took a tour of the club, and after the training session from there the players made me feel welcome and made me feel a part.”

“Although I hadn’t made a decision yet they still welcomed me down here, and that was one of my deciding factors.”

Even at a relatively young 23 years of age, Watson has been using his AFL experience to help in any way he can for the coming season.

“I try to act like a senior player, we’ve got a couple of older players from the system too,” said Watson.

 “We feed off each other and bounce ideas off each other on what we can do at training and how we can get the players up when they’re feeling down or when training’s not going to well.”

“I had that experience at Carlton learning some of the best like Chris Judd, Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs, Kade Simpson at the club – learning off them is put me in good stead from getting ideas off them and bouncing them off the young guys here.”

But Watson’s biggest contribution to the Sharks is expected to come from his booming left foot – and as the 2010 first round pick looks to get himself back to the top, he hopes he can take the Sharks with him.

“I’m looking forward to some good ball movement, some good inside 50 delivery, some bigger grounds that allow you to run around a bit more and asserting myself on the competition,” said Watson.

“That’s what I’ve come over here for, to play well and at the same time try to get myself back into the system, if I can but also get this team as many wins so we can get into finals and go from there.”

Until then, Watson’s more than happy to be a Freo boy, despite his controversial opinions about the coffee.

“Living in Freo – it’s been handy. It’s very laid back and a bit more relaxed than Melbourne. I’m definitely missing the coffees in Melbourne and not the traffic, it’s completely different over here!”