John K. Watts

In November 2011, he was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer, after previously having a malignant melanoma removed from the back of his neck during his football players days and prostate cancer in 2000. He continued to make guest appearances and to write jokes. He died on 3 June 2017, aged 80.

In March 2008 he was inducted into the West Australian Football Hall of Fame.

His third wife Lorraine Eastman married in Vegas in 2000 and resided in the coastal city of Scarborough in Western Australia over-looking the Indian Ocean.

Eventually as ratings soared, the late Kerry Packer asked John and Barry to come and work for him. They were allowed more commercial freedom and had access to the latest equipment and studios. It was during this time that they were at the height of their success in the early 1980s and they ended up becoming the only Breakfast Radio Program in Australia to ever hold more than 50% of the population in ratings. This record still stands today.

During the early 1970s, John Watts was approached by George Chapman (then head of Perth Radio Station 6PM) to form a variety style radio program. The proposal was to team up with popular DJ and talented radio producer Barry Martin to create this new style of show. It was originally slotted in the morning hours as a trial and would not disrupt the popular and highly rated afternoon and early evening programs. At this time, the morning slots were considered unpopular by radio announcers and it was therefore relatively easy for Watts and Martin to have unrivalled "air-time" during these hours.

In 1966, Watts moved to Tasmania to Captain/Coach the Hobart Football Club. In his first year in this role he led them to a premiership. This success would make him the only Australian rules football player to have played in three premiership sides, for three different teams, in three different states. He retired from playing football in 1968.

On 6 July 1963 he was a member of the Geelong team that were comprehensively and unexpectedly beaten by Fitzroy, 9.13 (67) to 3.13 (31) in the 1963 Miracle Match. He went on to play for Geelong Football Club from 1963 until 1965 including their 1963 Premiership win over the Hawthorn Football Club. A Premiership win that Geelong Football Club would not win again until 44 years later in 2007. Although footage of John Watts' single-handed mark in the 3rd quarter of the Premiership match became the signature piece of footage from the 1963 Grand Final at the time, it was the club theme song that he penned for the Club to use if they won (which they did) that would become his lasting legacy. The club theme song is still played today at all games won and Premiership wins with Watts' original lyrics.

After the 1962 season had finished with East Perth Football Club, John received many good offers from the then Victorian Football League (now Australian Football League) clubs of St Kilda, Essendon, and Geelong. Initially, John wanted to and was nearly selected to play for Essendon, but instead decided to follow his friend Graham Farmer to the Geelong Football Club.

John Watts has three daughters (Joanna, Donna who was tragically killed in 1995 and Venessa) and two sons (Luke and Jonathon) and nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren plus two step children Laurise and Michael His first wife, Babette is the mother of Joanna, Donna, Luke and Venessa. Babette was formerly Babette Taylor, daughter of the Taylor's Jewelry family, they married in 6th November 1958 and divorced in 1978. John's second wife Dale Kerr is the mother of Laurise and Michael and Jonathon. Married on 10th October 1981 and divorced in 1999. Dale changed her name after the divorce to Dale James.

Under Coach Jack Sheedy's guidance East Perth Football Club quickly became the outstanding side in the competition. East Perth made the Grand Final and won in 1956, 1958 and 1959, with John K Watts as Full Back in every one of these Premiership Teams along with Graham "Polly" Farmer. John Watts ended up playing 166 games as East Perth's primary fullback from 1954-1962.

To his football credit, after only playing a few reserves matches, Watts debuted for the East Perth Football Club on a half back flank against Subiaco at the age of 17 in 1954 and would become a regular player with the club.

John Albert Watts (later known as John K. Watts, 21 January 1937 – 3 June 2017) was an Australian rules football player and radio broadcaster and television personality.

John Watts was born on 21 January 1937 in East Perth, Western Australia to Western Australia Police Superintendent James Albert Watts and Eileen Sylvia Watts. He grew up in the Maylands area and attended Maylands State School (along with Graham Farmer). After graduating from school, he went to work as an apprentice carpenter and joiner, later gaining a trade qualification in his mid-teenage years.