He’s the former Essendon Football Club captain who retired from football at the end of the 2017 season.
But Jobe Watson seems to be excited about moving into the next chapter of his life, where a wedding with girlfriend Virginia Slaghekke could be on the horizon.
The 32-year-old hinted the pair are engaged while making a retirement speech at the club’s best and fairest awards night in Melbourne on Thursday.
‘I am going to share the rest of my life with you’: Former Essendon captain Jobe Watson drops a major hint about wedding plans to girlfriend Virginia Slaghekke (pictured)
Jobe appeared to be more smitten than ever as he used the speech to gush about his love for his model partner, 26, who he met at a New York cafe last year, the Herald Sun reported.
‘To be able to share my last year of football with you and to know I am going to share the rest of my life with you is what I really am so excited about,’ he said, before the crowd cheered and applauded.
Virginia could be seen placing her palm to her face and closing her eyes in response to the admission, before breaking out in a broad smile as her hubby finished his speech.
Loved up: Jobe (left) appeared to be more smitten than ever as he used the speech to gush about his love for his model partner (right), 26, who he met at a New York cafe last year
‘I have so much excitement about the rest of my life’: Jobe continued to say he’s excited for the next chapter of his life, following his retirement
Holiday romance: The stripped Brownlow Medallist also revealed how he met his pre-med student girlfriend in New York last year, while serving a 12-month drug ban from the AFL
‘That’s why I have a lot of sadness about leaving football but why I have so much excitement about the rest of my life,’ Jobe said.
The stripped Brownlow Medallist also revealed how he met his pre-med student girlfriend in New York last year, while serving a 12-month drug ban from the AFL.
‘I saw an attractive girl sitting across the table from me and I thought “I could go home and leave the cafe right now or I could write my number on a napkin and give it to her”,’ he said.
‘I saw an attractive girl sitting across the table from me’: Jobe said he chased Virginia out of a New York bar to hand her his number
Lucky in love: Jobe said six weeks later Virginia called him up and asked to go on a date
‘I chased her out of the cafe and tapped her on the shoulder and said “My name’s Jobe and here’s my number”.
‘Six weeks later she called me back and asked if I’d go out on a date.’
He also said he was coy about his profession during their first date at a Brooklyn bar, which led Virginia to think he was unemployed.
Jobe made 220 AFL appearances before playing his last game against the Sydney Swans in September this year.
Playing it cool: He also said he was coy about his profession during their first date at a Brooklyn bar, which led Virginia to think he was unemployed
Moving into retirement: Jobe made 220 AFL appearances before playing his last game against the Sydney Swans in September this year