Essendon legend Tim Watson has had his say on the club’s rumoured change to the logo after reports they were considering replacing the Bomber aircraft.
The news sent Essendon and footy fans into a spin with backlash flooding in over the potential update to the famous club.
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Both the Herald Sun and SEN reported Essendon considered replacing the Bomber aircraft on its logo, with a research project throughout the season seeking to determine how the club’s members and stakeholders view the team.
According to the Herald Sun, Essendon is considering whether its fans believe the wartime aircraft logo is the best representation of the famous Victorian cub.
There’s no indication that the Bombers would change their nickname, which was first adopted in 1940.
Watson, a three-time premiership winner spoke about the topic during his radio show and said a lot of old players don’t want change brought in.
“The narrative was, ‘OK, you can’t have it being called the Bombers and you can’t have a jet plane as part of the emblem’” Watson said on SEN.
Watson said he was asked about the club, but none related to the changing of the logo … they were more around branding.
“I was asked apart of a survey, but none of the questions related to the Bombers or the logo,” he said when quizzed about the club’s ‘research project’.
“(The questions) were around the branding of the club …
“(But) I think it goes to the heart of the emotion of a passionate supporter about changing things … the way that it was (first) referenced was that there was going to be a change to the logo.”
It was that notion that caused fans to feel “upset and divided” as well as fans being furious with the nickname also potentially facing the axe.
“And people who don’t barrack for Essendon, either, were thinking this is just all woke crap,” he said.
“As I said … the best way to brand your club is to be successful and just go out and win games and participate in finals.”
Lyon weighed in saying he couldn’t imagine that fan outrage had stemmed from an aeroplane being removed from a logo.
“I know some people who are mad, passionate Essendon fans who don’t like the association with Bomber (or) Bombers and the connection to war … I know people like that,” Watson said.
“(But) I was at lunch with a lot of old Bombers and people yesterday and I think the consensus would be that they would all like probably (for it) to stay the way it is as well.”
Fellow Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd strongly opposed the possibility of ditching the Bomber from the emblem.
“I’d be very disappointed if the Bomber was gone,” he said.
“Have we got to that point, have we? Such a great logo and tradition of the Essendon Football Club (might go) because it might upset the odd person or two. We (might) lose something so special with our football club.
“I hope it stays.”
Essendon captain Zach Merrett said a refresh of the club logo “wouldn’t bother” him, but that “the connection at the moment is probably to the bomber and I think we all connect with that as players and I’m sure fans do.”
The skipper added the connection with former` players remained strong, as it did with the club’s heritage.
“In our gym we have all our heritage logos, we have a big line I think from our first captain … there’s a sash on every player … that certainly is something that we all connect with as present players,” he said.
“Attending the 93’ Hall of Fame inductees the other night and the reunion was pretty special as well.
“To hear some of their stories and the way in which they still feel connected and I think they’re loving the way we’re playing at the moment and they’re feeling as connected as they have ever, probably.”
In a letter to members, Essendon president David Barham conceded he club was “conducting a preliminary research project” around elements of the club brand.
But he was adamant there would be no change to the “Bombers” nickname or anything else in the short term.
“The research project is in its early phase. Members and supporters have been and will continue to be canvassed,” Barham said.
“There is no immediate action to change the club logo or any elements of the club brand. This is a longer-term project with significant work to be completed.
“We will always be called the Bombers.”
