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‘No-one is ever interested’: Premiership coach assesses prospects of landing another AFL senior role
Mark Williams says he does not think another AFL senior coaching role will come his way, despite the praise he has received for helping Melbourne win this year’s premiership.
Key points:
Williams has been credited with playing a substantial role in the Demons’ premiership triumph
He joined the club as head of development late last year
Williams coached Port Adelaide to the 2004 AFL flag
Williams joined the Demons late last year as head of development and quickly built up a special connection with the player group.
He coached Port Adelaide in the AFL from 1999 to 2010, guiding the Power to their first flag in 2004.
The Power also reached the 2007 grand final under his coaching but went down to Geelong in a heavy loss.
Williams served in assistant coach roles at GWS and Richmond after leaving the Power, while he was the senior coach at VFL club Werribee prior to linking up with the Demons.
Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes played under Williams for 10 years and has been among the groundswell of support for ‘Choco’ to get another shot as an AFL senior coach.
But Williams said he was not expecting to be offered a senior coaching role again.
“There’s been plenty of jobs available and no-one is ever interested, so I’m very happy doing what I’m doing,” he said.
Demons premiership player Ben Brown was lavish in his praise of Williams.
“He’s been great for us,” Brown said.
“The way he’s fitted in with the overall mentality of the coaching group, I think everyone’s really enjoyed having him around the club.
“He brings an amazing amount of enthusiasm to football. I think the game is better to have Choco Williams involved.”
Williams worked closely with the Demons in the build-up to their win in the grand final.(
Getty Images: Dylan Burns
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Williams has thrived while working with the young players at Melbourne, along with the established stars such as Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver, and Christian Petracca.
“I enjoy every minute because I’m developing and helping the young players,” Williams said.
“We had six from the David Neitz Academy play in the grand final, which is brilliant, and it holds Melbourne in good stead for the future.
“And then it’s great to be able to say something to Gawn, or to Petracca, or to Oliver — the absolute best players — and you see they want to get better.
“When you work with people who want to get better and are still open to that sort of idea, their drive inspires you every day to get up and work hard.”
