John Watts (Australian rules footballer)
Encyclopedia
John Albert Watts is a retired Australian rules football
player and former radio broadcaster.
He is married to Lorraine Watts and has two previous marriages.
) and began work as an apprentice carpenter. He started playing football at a young age with Bayswater Junior Football Club and was picked to play for East Perth Football Club
in 1954.
from 1954-1962.
In 1963 Watts was selected to play for the VFL
for Geelong Football Club
along with lifelong friend Farmer. He played 52 Games for Geelong, the most memorable being Geelong's 1963 Premiership Team.
In 1966, Watts moved to Tasmania
to Captain/Coach the Hobart Football Club
. In his first year as Captain/Coach he led his team to a premiership. He retired from his professional football career in 1968.
He is the only Australian rules football player to have played in three premiership sides, for three different teams, in three different states.
He is also one of the few to captain and coach a team at the same time as winning a premiership for a professional side.
Although a highly respected payer, he is possibly best remembered for his off-field antics, and could be described as the epitome of a "Club Man". He was always found at all the Club's social events entertaining everyone with his stand up routine or "belting" out a tune on the piano. Both these qualities would prove beneficial in his later career.
It was during these events that he wrote several Club Anthems. He wrote the East Perth, Swan Districts
and Geelong Football Club theme songs.
In March 2008 he was inducted into the West Australian Football Hall of Fame
.
. Watts hosted his own Football Panel Show on TVW 7
.
In the mid-70's, John K Watts (as he was now known, the K standing for "Know All") teamed up with local Perth disc jockey, Barry Martin. Together they formed a unique partnership which took them all the way to being employed at one stage by the late Kerry Packer
. It was during this period that they gained fame when they became the only radio breakfast program in Australia to hold more than 50% of the population in their ratings.
Although politically incorrect
and often controversial for its time, Watts always maintained that it "was all in good fun". His jokes often pointed fun at other sporting codes, politicians, other footballers (see Mal Brown
) and himself.
to put forward the idea. This idea formulated into what is now the West Coast Eagles
.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
player and former radio broadcaster.
Personal life
John Watts has three daughters and two sons: Joanna, Donna (deceased), Vanessa, Luke John and Jonathon (Jack) Watts.He is married to Lorraine Watts and has two previous marriages.
Early life
He was educated at Maylands State School (along with other football legend Graham FarmerGraham Farmer
Graham Vivian "Polly" Farmer, MBE is a retired Australian rules football player and coach. Born in Western Australia, he joined the East Perth Football Club as a ruckman in 1953, where he won several awards and contributed to the team winning three premierships...
) and began work as an apprentice carpenter. He started playing football at a young age with Bayswater Junior Football Club and was picked to play for East Perth Football Club
East Perth Football Club
The East Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Royals, is an Australian rules football club that is a member of the West Australian Football League...
in 1954.
Football career
Watts played 166 games as East Perth's fullbackFullback (Australian rules football)
In Australian rules football, the fullback position has traditionally been a purely defensive role, with the aim of preventing the full-forward from marking the ball and scoring. However, in recent times, where the ability to move the ball out of defence and down the field quickly has become a more...
from 1954-1962.
In 1963 Watts was selected to play for the VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
for Geelong Football Club
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
along with lifelong friend Farmer. He played 52 Games for Geelong, the most memorable being Geelong's 1963 Premiership Team.
In 1966, Watts moved to Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
to Captain/Coach the Hobart Football Club
Hobart Football Club
Hobart Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Hobart, Tasmania. They play their home fixtures at the TCA Ground on the Queens Domain, in Hobart and from 2009, the club has been a member of the Tasmanian State League.- Club history :...
. In his first year as Captain/Coach he led his team to a premiership. He retired from his professional football career in 1968.
He is the only Australian rules football player to have played in three premiership sides, for three different teams, in three different states.
He is also one of the few to captain and coach a team at the same time as winning a premiership for a professional side.
Although a highly respected payer, he is possibly best remembered for his off-field antics, and could be described as the epitome of a "Club Man". He was always found at all the Club's social events entertaining everyone with his stand up routine or "belting" out a tune on the piano. Both these qualities would prove beneficial in his later career.
It was during these events that he wrote several Club Anthems. He wrote the East Perth, Swan Districts
Swan Districts Football Club
The Swan Districts Football Club, nicknamed the Swans, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The club is based at Bassendean Oval, in Bassendean, an eastern suburb of Perth, Western Australia...
and Geelong Football Club theme songs.
In March 2008 he was inducted into the West Australian Football Hall of Fame
West Australian Football Hall of Fame
The West Australian Football Hall of Fame was created in 2002 to recognise and enshrine those who have made a significant contribution to Australian rules football in Western Australia...
.
Broadcasting career
After leaving football, Watts went on to have a successful career in radio and television. Over 30 years he worked for various Perth television and radio stations and was a popular comedian and even wrote jokes for famous comedians such as Bob HopeBob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
. Watts hosted his own Football Panel Show on TVW 7
TVW
TVW can mean:*TVW, a Seven Network owned station in Perth, Western Australia*TVW, a public affairs network in the state of Washington*"tvw", the false branding callsign of WISC-TV's digital subchannel and Madison, Wisconsin's MyNetworkTV affiliate...
.
In the mid-70's, John K Watts (as he was now known, the K standing for "Know All") teamed up with local Perth disc jockey, Barry Martin. Together they formed a unique partnership which took them all the way to being employed at one stage by the late Kerry Packer
Kerry Packer
Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer, AC was an Australian media tycoon. The son of Sir Frank Packer and Gretel Bullmore, the Packer family company owned controlling interest in both the Nine television network and leading Australian publishing company Australian Consolidated Press, which were later...
. It was during this period that they gained fame when they became the only radio breakfast program in Australia to hold more than 50% of the population in their ratings.
Although politically incorrect
Political correctness
Political correctness is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, certain other religions, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts,...
and often controversial for its time, Watts always maintained that it "was all in good fun". His jokes often pointed fun at other sporting codes, politicians, other footballers (see Mal Brown
Mal Brown
Malcolm "Mal" Brown is a former Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League and West Australian National Football League....
) and himself.
Business career
Watts later went on to own several of Perth's radio stations and hotels. He became a very successful businessman in Western Australia. At one stage during this time, he came up with the idea of integrating a West Australian team into the then Victorian Football League. Watts got together several prominent businessmen including Lindsay FoxLindsay Fox
Lindsay Edward Fox AC is an Australian businessman. As of 2009, he was the 10th richest person in Australia, with a net worth of around 1.5 billion . He is best known as the founder and chairman of his family-owned trucking and logistics company, Linfox.- Early life :Lindsay Fox was brought up in...
to put forward the idea. This idea formulated into what is now the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
.
External links
- "'Fair dinkum, unbelievable'" loss": John K. Watts on Davis