Sports anchor Tim Watson of Melbourne’s 7NEWS announced his retirement last night after over 30 years with the network. He will be presenting his last bulletin on December 20.
Watson is known for his contributions to the coverage of the Australian Football League.
During his nightly bulletin, Watson informed the audience that he would be retiring from his career as a sports broadcaster. He also noted that he had enjoyed his time with the network.
He said it had been a privilege to be able to deliver the news to the people of Melbourne. He thanked the staff members of the network for their hard work and noted that he would leave behind a legacy of being a great sports broadcaster.
Chris Salter, the 7NEWS Melbourne director, also praised Watson’s professionalism and loyalty.
The viewers will miss Watson, and the entire staff will also be affected by his retirement. Peter Mitchell, the 7NEWS anchor in Melbourne, said that he had enjoyed working alongside Watson for a long time.
Apart from being a great sports commentator, Watson is regarded as one of the kindest individuals I have ever met. He will be greatly missed by me as a colleague and as a person.
I wish him well in his future endeavors. He is one of the most highly regarded individuals in the Australian Football League and has been an integral part of the community for many years.
Regarded for his explosive pace and skills, Watson played over 300 games for Essendon during his career. He won three premierships with the club.
Following his retirement in 1994, he became a part of the 7NEWS Melbourne team and presented the network’s nightly sports bulletin.
He also worked as a part of the Seven Network’s commentary team for the Australian Football League competition.
After his retirement in 1994, Watson returned to the football league and became the coach of St Kilda for two years. Despite his success with the club, his desire for television still remained strong.
In 2000, he became a part of the Seven Network’s The Game and in 2002, he joined the Talking Footy team with Bruce McAvaney.
In 2013, he was once again the host of the 7NEWS Melbourne sports bulletin.