Watson has escaped huge amounts of heat on this subject, he was/is afterall the so called "architect" of Essendons back room right back to when Matty Knights copped it in the neck. And so it followed, hird,thompson etc etc, all with watsons fingerprints
Essendon are a big club and generate lots of $$$ for the AFL .
Despite as you say , Watsons shadow being ever present in the background , he is said to be/promoted as a good bloke , thus , he escapes a lot of heat .
There are too many snouts in the trough to rock the boat !!
Its a tough time for EFC members and supporters at the moment (been there done that through the end of the Elliott era) but the members are the one's who can ultimately hold the likes of Hird , Little , Watson to account ...
Your club will be better for it and rest assured , the likes of Andy Maher will never go there ... the trough is still plentifull and way too much too thier liking !!