Hawthorn have added significant experience to their AFLW program by securing the services of legendary AFL premiership coach Mark 'Choco' Williams.
Williams, who led Port Adelaide to the AFL premiership in 2004, has spent the last five seasons at Melbourne as the Demons' head of development. The 67-year-old, who played 286 games for Collingwood and Brisbane during a distinguished VFL/AFL career, will now oversee Hawthorn's AFLW development program.
Hawthorn finished fourth on the AFLW ladder last season with an impressive 9-3 record, before being eliminated from the finals in straight sets.
Club Statement
"We are thrilled to add a person of Mark's calibre to our football club; he will benefit our program immensely," Hawthorn's AFLW general manager Keegan Brooksby said in a statement on Thursday.
"With almost five decades in football, Mark's experience speaks for itself. He is an expert at building relationships and cultivating environments where players thrive."
Coaching Career
Williams coached Port Adelaide for 12 seasons before departing at the end of 2010. He subsequently took up assistant and development roles at Greater Western Sydney and Richmond, before playing a crucial off-field role at Melbourne, which included the club's 2021 premiership.
Williams' outstanding contribution to the game was recognised in 2023 when he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
