Essendon kept in the dark and unsure what drove skipper Jobe Watson to break ranks Essendon skipper Jobe Watson at training yesterday. ESSENDON chiefs remain bewildered by Jobe Watson's motivation for breaking ranks and escalating the doping furore. As the Bombers flew out for tonight's critical clash against West Coast, debate raged over whether it was a deliberate strategy or simply a brain fade. Essendon coach James Hird yesterday admitted he was surprised by Watson's confessions. "I didn't know that was going to be said," Hird said. Jobe goes on TV shows, he's his own man Watson's manager Craig Kelly said there was no agenda behind Watson's comments.\ Hird did not intend to speak to Watson about the issue until after tonight's match. Swans star Ryan O'Keefe said he would be surprised if Watson was not speaking deliberately. "Until the investigation is finished you probably wouldn't be admitting something I would think," O'Keefe said. Jobe is a smart and calculated guy and I think he knew what he was doing. It comes as the powerful AFL player union declared it was the Bombers - not Watson - who should ultimately bear responsibility for the drugs furore. AFLPA chief Matt Finnis said Essendon's players had been placed in an "untenable situation" because of decisions taken by the club. I think Jobe's interview was a reflection of his character - he was openly honest and candid and I think we got an insight into the clear conscience that he has. He gave full and frank and honest answers. And I think any system which would seem to place heavy penalties on somebody who has acted in accordance with the directions of their employer... as they are required to do under their contract, and has been the victim of some kind of misrepresentation or even deception - that would be completely unacceptable. On the specifics of the peptide Watson confessed to taking - AOD9604 - Finnis said: "We've since found out that WADA says this particular substance AOD is banned. Not banned because it is performance enhancing, but banned because it hasn't been approached for therapeutic use by humans. There's a lot of speculation around a substance which hasn't been banned because it offers any performance enhancing affect. Accountability must reside with those who had the ultimate authority and responsibility. AFL football operations manager Mark Evans told Perth's 6PR radio Watson's comments were not helpful. "It was an interesting decision for Jobe to do that but I don't think that he has said anything there that he hasn't already told the ASADA and the AFL investigators," Evans said. We've waited so long since this story first came to light that another five or six weeks and then hopefully we will have a position from ASADA and I think we should allow that to happen if we can.