Watson leads Bombers to 29-point AFL win Essendon coach James Hird has rated Jobe Watson's effort to drive his side to a 29-point victory over Richmond at the MCG as good a leadership performance AS he's seen in the AFL. Watson starred as the Bombers rebounded from successive losses and more off-field tumult to swat aside the Tigers 13.13 (91) to 9.8 (62) on Saturday night. Following a week in which players were grilled in the national doping probe, utility Nathan Lovett-Murray was stabbed and chief executive Ian Robson resigned, Watson broke open the match in the second and third quarters - and his teammates followed him through. His three-goal, 28-possession performance won the highest of accolades from Hird - himself a premiership captain and considered one of the Bombers' finest on-field leaders. "The way he started the game, the way he led his team, when they came back at us, he was the one who drove us forward, was as good a leadership performance I've seen in football considering what's going on around him," Hird said of Watson. You watch Anzac Day (in beating Collingwood) and you see the way he got them over the line when we needed it and you think that's the pinnacle of his leadership. What he's done has been outstanding. You don't expect that from normal people, and what he's done is abnormal to an extent. Watson's biggest impact came in the second and third quarters as the Bombers broke open the match. The Dons skipper led the way as the Bombers poured on five unanswered goals in the second term, while Richmond's best players barely sighted the ball. With his side leading by 20 points at halftime, Watson then booted the opening goal of the third, before creating another goal to Jake Melksham with sheer hard graft. Watson won a race to a loose ball and dished off a handball while at full stretch and falling to ground to set up Melksham for a major which snuffed out any realistic hope for the Tigers. He also was involved in the final goal of the term to Ben Howlett with a wonderful cross-field kick to give his side a 34-point lead. The victory cements Essendon in the top four - the only sour note another injury to luckless forward Michael Hurley who rolled an ankle and is in doubt for next weekend's clash with Sydney. Richmond are now 5-4, with coach Damien Hardwick admitting his side simply didn't play well and were outgunned badly in midfield. "The scoreboard flattered us to be honest - it felt like a 10-goal ball game at halftime," Hardwick said. They're a good side. We just couldn't get the game under control at any stage.