Great Southern guns – blasts from the past: Sandover medallist Mark Watson’s golden premiership run started in Denmark

The suspension of sport amid the coronavirus crisis has given the Advertiser the opportunity to look back at some of the region’s finest sporting talent from yesteryear. In the first of our Great Southern guns – blasts from the past series we catch up with 1987 Sandover medallist Mark Watson. A drought breaking premiership with Denmark in 1978 was the springboard to a golden period for one of the region’s most successful players, who went on to claim WA football’s top prize. Mark Watson describes a sparkling four-year period from 1978-81 as the highlight of his time in footy, the centreman part of four consecutive premiership teams. Raised in Denmark on the family dairy farm, Watson grew up kicking the footy with his two older brothers but 1978 was a significant year for both himself and the small country town. Watson and his Denmark teammates ended years of heartache as they broke through for an elusive grand final victory in the days of the Southern Districts competition. From there Watson moved to Perth after an invitation to train with Claremont and so began a WAFL career that spanned three clubs and 192 games as a player. In those 192 games Watson won a premiership with Claremont in 1981, he claimed the Sandover Medal in 1987, played three State games and was the recipient of three Butcher medals as Perth’s league best and fairest winner. Denmark’s breakthrough began the golden run for Watson as he took up the offer to join Claremont in 1979 and went on to play in a winning colts grand final. From there he progressed to play in the Tigers reserves premiership side in 1980 and the following year Watson was a league premiership player after his Tigers beat South Fremantle by 15 points — completing a remarkable run of the game’s ultimate success. “Denmark wasn’t a big town, we used to get thrashed regularly,” Watson said. “The golden years began in ’77 when Denmark first made the finals that really gave us some belief we were good enough. “Then ’78 was the starting point, that was pretty special to me playing alongside both my brothers Reg and Stephen. “As boys on the farm you would listen to the radio and footy all the time and I think it was something that burnt inside me for a while (playing WAFL). “To win a colts, reserves and then league grand finals was amazing. “I had played against the Krakouer boys, Darrell Panizza and the likes and then ended up playing with them. “That ’81 side really clicked and grand final day was fantastic, my family came up to share it. “In that period we trained and played to win grand finals and when you look back, God every September we were busy.” A 119-game stint with Perth followed for Watson, highlighted by his Sandover Medal victory after polling 30 votes to win the major accolade from the ineligible Derek Kickett. “The move to Perth with Mal Brown was successful,” he said. “To win a Sandover Medal and then meet guys like Bill Walker and Polly Farmer you were trembling shaking their hands. “Derek Kickett had a huge year, I felt sorry for Derek and still do. “I had to be talked into going to the count, I almost wasn’t in the room.” Watson’s football journey continued on after a stellar playing career, coaching South Fremantle’s league side to a losing grand final in 1992 and he also coached Rockingham Rams for four seasons, winning one flag. In 1998 he called time on his heavy involvement in football to focus on his three daughters and one son with wife Gail and these days works as a crane operator in the Fremantle port. The 60-year-old still follows football at country and WAFL level and is enjoying life in the city. “I come home when I get a chance, Mum still lives in Denmark and I have a sister in Albany,” he said. “I enjoy playing tennis and I have grandkids now. “I scour the West every Tuesday for the country footy results and I venture along and watch the odd WAFL game on the grass banks, mainly following the three teams I was involved in.” Watson said he has fond memories of Denmark and his time playing footy in the region. “Guys like Phillip Middleton, Max Knockolds and Richard Ricketts were my heroes growing up and I got to play with them,” he said. “I call myself a Denmark boy, when you play in Denmark you represent your whole town and I do cherish those times. “I remember one day getting out at Rocky Gully we had 10 players, it was hailing and about two degrees. That all helped me get to where I did and I remember all the people I met that helped me get to where I did.”