David Watson (1920s rugby league)

David 'Dave' Watson (1900–1980) was an Australian rugby league player from the 1920s. He was a multi premiership winner with South Sydney Rabbitohs, and later a coach of the club.

Dave Watson, was a South Sydney Rabbitohs legendary player from their golden era of the late 1920s. He played 9 seasons for South Sydney Rabbitohs between 1923–31, playing a total of 153 grade games for Souths during his long career. Dave Watson played in six grand finals for Souths between 1923–29 and won four premierships with them in 1926, 1927, 1928 and 1929. He was also selected to play for New South Wales on 2 occasions in 1929.^[1]

He also coached South Sydney Rabbitohs on two different occasions, firstly between 1935–36, and secondly between 1947–49. He later went on to work for Souths and a Selector and committeeman, and later as a state and Kangaroo selector for the NSWRFL. As a national selector, Watson famously didn't vote for Bob McCarthy to be selected on the 1967–68 Kangaroo Tour, after McCarthy had a stellar season – a grudge that Bob McCarthy still carries to this day.^[2]

The South Sydney Rabbitohs website states that Dave Watson was awarded Life Membership of the Rabbitohs in 1962, and that he died in 1982^[3]

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