JOBE Watson is a better player now than during his 2012 Brownlow Medal-winning season, Essendon teammate Brendon Goddard believes.

Watson has been in sublime touch over the opening three rounds, leading from the front as the Bombers have defied questions about their lack of match conditioning to start the season 2-1.

The Essendon skipper has been best-on-ground in his side's victories over reigning premiers Hawthorn (33 disposals) and Carlton (36 and a goal), and his all-round game is better than ever, according to Goddard.

"Jobe Watson, in my opinion, is a better player than he was in his Brownlow year, he's a more rounded player, and his start to the season has been outstanding," he told Channel 7.

“By his own admission he could have improved his defensive side of his game.

"You can see his offensive stuff and how good he is, but his ability to defend now and join in team defence is a lot better than what it was.

"He leads the way in that area."

Watson's 2015 numbers so far stack up with his career-best season three years ago.

The 30-year-old midfielder is averaging 30 touches, nearly six tackles and clearances per game, compared to 29 disposals, five tackles and seven clearances.

What can't be measured is his leadership, which Dons defender Cale Hooker lauded for holding the squad together during the long-running supplements investigation.

"He was just a pillar of strength the whole time. He was incredible and he kept the group together," Hooker said.

"Somehow we've come out a better team and a better playing group than we were at the start of it all."

Young spearhead Joe Daniher has been symbolic of that improvement, with the 21-year-old working with champion goalkicker Matthew Lloyd to refine his set shot technique over pre-season.

After booting a wayward 28.20 in his second season last year, Daniher has kicked 7.2 this season and Goddard said the pressure put on him by coach James Hird at training was also paying dividends.

"Hirdy and the team put him under a lot of pressure in the pre-season. At the end of drills and match simulation we'd deliberately give Joey the ball and if he missed from inside 50 we'd have to do a 400m," he said.

"The first few (times) we had done a few 400s, but by the end of it he felt really comfortable with the ball in his hands."