Worsfold to meet banned Bombers skipper

Essendon coach John Worsfold will know more about Jobe Watson’s playing future when he meets with the AFL skipper in the coming days.

Watson and Tayte Pears are the only two players of the dozen current Bombers serving doping suspensions not to announce their intentions for next year.

At 31, Watson is mulling retirement, while Pears is considering career opportunities away from football.

Worsfold told RSN927 on Wednesday morning he couldn’t offer an update on Watson’s thinking as he continued his overseas holiday.

“(But)I can let you know that I’ll catch up with Jobe in just over a week or so, when he arrives back in the country,” Worsfold said.

“I’m looking forward to catching up with him then.”

Worsfold said he would love to see Jobe add to his 200 AFL games, but acknowledges his love of the game has suffered with the ban handed down by ASADA for his role in the club’s 2012 supplements program.

“Absolutely he is (hurt) … the situation that he’s in, we know these players feel like they did a fair bit to try and not end up in this position.

“They didn’t ever believe they would be in this position because of the measures they attempted to take.

“They are hurt because in their hearts they can’t believe that its got to this point, where they’ve sat out of footy for a year.”

The coach said he would like to help Watson rediscover his passion for the game whether he chooses to retire or not.

Cale Hooker, Dyson Heppell, Michael Hurley, Travis Colyer, David Myers, Brent Stanton, Ben Howlett, Heath Hocking and Tom Bellchambers have all re-committed to the club after their bans expire, while Michael Hibberd has requested a trade.

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