Career
Forbes was a successful player for Essendon in the years leading up to the formation of the VFL in the 1890s. Forbes was named Player of the Season in 1892 by The Argus. When he made his VFL debut in 1897 he was already 32 and played in their premiership team that year.
He also played in the 1898 VFL Grand Final, the first ever, but Essendon lost to Fitzroy.