JOBE WATSON will captain Essendon in 2010.

The 24-year-old was revealed as the new skipper when he led the squad on to the Windy Hill turf for their training session on Monday morning.

He follows in the footsteps of his father, Tim, who captained Essendon from 1989 to 1991.

Watson succeeds former skipper Matthew Lloyd, who retired at the end of the 2009 season.

Tough defender Andrew Welsh has been named Essendon's new vice-captain.

Watson said he was humbled by the decision of his teammates and club officials to anoint him as their new leader.

“It’s a tremendous honour. You look at the people who have gone before you and the history of the club, and to be captain of the club is a surreal-type feeling," he said.

The overwhelming endorsement of his teammates had banished any doubts he may have harboured about becoming Essendon's captain, he added.

“To be voted by my peers and my teammates and for them to have the confidence in me that I was ready really helped me," he said.

A hard-nosed midfielder, Watson had long been considered leadership material at Windy Hill but he underlined his credentials with a career-best season in 2009.

He racked up 543 disposals and amassed 10 Brownlow votes on his way to claiming his first Crichton Medal as Essendon’s best and fairest player.

Watson produced his finest performance as Essendon ended St Kilda’s unbeaten run in a two-point thriller in round 18.

With 37 disposals and a goal, he was a clear best-on-ground as the Bombers held on for a thrilling victory.

Essendon's general manager of football operations, Paul Hamilton, was confident that Watson was the right choice to lead the new generation of Bombers.

"He is a quality person and is a player that has had to work hard to achieve what he has in the game," Hamilton said.
 
"He leads by example on and off the field. He has an appetite and desire for success and wants to bring people along with him on the journey. Jobe has an outstanding leadership group behind him and I am confident that, as a group, they will unite the club and provide strong direction."

Hamilton said the decision was made at the club's community camp in Coffs Harbour last Tuesday after a two-hour meeting that included the six-man leadership group, coach Matthew Knights and former skipper Gary O'Donnell.

The committee then left the final decision to the leadership group who came up with who they thought was the right captain and vice-captain to lead this exciting young playing group into a new successful era.
 
"It was a rigorous process and one that showed the depth of leadership we have at the club," Hamilton said.

"The leadership group walked out of the meeting united that, together, they will strive to improve the team and club. There was a really strong understanding that leadership is not about one person but is about having a group of leaders.

"We want to empower the playing group to really lead and take control of the big decisions that need to be made so this was an important process for Essendon to go through."

Watson joined the Bombers under the father-son rule in the 2002 NAB AFL Draft and he has played 94 games in seven seasons at Windy Hill.