North Albury coach Akermanis, who won the Brownlow Medal in 2001, told The Border Mail it would be unfair if Watson wasn’t stripped of the award. “As unlucky as it is, that’s why we have rules,” Akermanis said.

“It has to be removed because it becomes unfair.

“If they have any credibility they have to bite the bullet and say, ‘Jobe you’re a wonderful person and wonderful player, but you’ve taken a banned substance in the year you’ve won the Brownlow’.

“The club let you down, mate.”

The AFL Commission will consider the issue at a meeting in February after Watson, along with 33 other current and former Essendon players, was banned from playing in 2016.

“The commission determined that the awarding of this medal needs to be reviewed in light of today’s decision,” AFL chief Gillon McLachlan said.

Akermanis, who has AFL coaching ambitions, was short-listed for a development coaching role at Essendon last year but ultimately missed out on the position.

The 2001 Brownlow Medallist said he thought he had dodged a bullet.

“It’s a great bullet to dodge because they’ve got no team and it would have been a two-year contract,” he said.

“What a disappointing job that would have been.

“It’s really fortunate for me and I get another year up here, and we love it here, and opportunities (in the AFL) will come.”

Akermanis said he felt sorry for the suspended players, laying the blame on the club.

“I feel for them because they knew what they were taking but they didn’t know it was illegal to take it,” he said.

“They are clearly the victim of the incompetence of the coach and governance of the whole Essendon Football Club.”