Premiership coach Mark Williams, at age 61, should get another crack at AFL level
Former Port Adelaide premiership coach Mark Williams gave the biggest hint this week that he’s hungry to lead an AFL team once more. His age should not exclude him from doing so, writes Kane Cornes.
Kane Cornes
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Port Adelaide premiership coach Mark Williams is hungry and determined to be a senior AFL coach again.
Williams, 61, hardly maintains any social media presence, but this week he gave his biggest hint that he is waiting and ready should one of the AFL clubs come knocking.
‘Choco’, as he is affectionately known, took to LinkedIn – the social network for professionals and companies – to pay tribute to NFL Super Bowl winning coach Andy Reid of the Kansas
City Chiefs. “Great to see the NFL continuing to respect experience and expertise – who would have thought a master coach over 60 (years of age) could win the Super Bowl #liveandleearn #stayyoung #freshandready #change #oldisnew he wrote alongside a picture of Reid.
Reid, who has been a head coach since in the NFL since 1999, entered the 2020 Super Bowl as the NFL’s most successful coach to not win a Lombardi Trophy.
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When the siren sounded on Super Bowl 54 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Reid copped the Gatorade Shower – an NFL tradition for the winning team to douse the head coach with the contents of its Gatorade cooler.
The Chiefs were victorious, completing Reid’s legacy as one of the best coaches in the game’s history.
Reid’s victory follows that of the New England Patriots in 2019, who are coached by the greatest NFL coach in history Bill Belichick.
Belichick turns 68 in April and is already a six-time Super Bowl winner.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Caroll is also 68 and still coaching as well as ever.
Why then does the AFL industry effectively shun coaches, like Williams, who are 60 or older while the billion-dollar NFL industry celebrates them?
Ageism is when a person is treated less favourably or not given the same opportunities as others in a similar situation.
We have an issue with prejudice towards coaches based on their age in the AFL.
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan, 58, is the oldest current AFL head coach.
He has taken the Lions from five wins in his first season in 2017 to 16 and second place after the home and away season last year.
After missing out on several head coaching opportunities, including the GWS Giants and St Kilda roles, a disappointed Williams didn’t sulk, instead choosing to improve his craft as a development coach under former pupil Damian Hardwick at Richmond.
A handful of those Richmond players Williams tutored, including Brownlow medallist Dustin Martin, are now two-time premiership players.
Those players have publicly paid tribute to Williams for their improvement.
When Williams was moved on from Richmond, he spent a season coaching at a local level before taking the reins at VFL club Werribee.
In his first season, he took the club from 11th in 2018 to fifth in 2019.
Choco is the best teaching coach I’ve ever seen and the only one who focuses on the core skills of football, such as kicking and tackling technique.
He is eccentric, passionate, loyal, honest and thinks outside the square.
He challenges his players and assistant coaches to do the same.
One Tuesday morning at Alberton Oval he instructed development coach Stewy Cochrane to drive one of the club’s vehicles around in a circle on the oval.
At the same time, the players took turns trying to kick the Sherrin so it landed in the sunroof.
He methods were never dull.
If Williams were an American coach, he would still have a top job.
“It’s ridiculous that he is not an AFL coach now,’’ says AFL legendary former coach Kevin Sheedy of Williams. “He is the best coach not in the (AFL) right now.”
Essendon opted to entrust its untried assistant Ben Rutten, 37, to take over from current coach John Worsfold when he steps down at the end of this season.
Williams’ experience, coaching acumen and head-to-head record of over 55 per cent means he is a much sounder and low-risk option than Rutten.
There were five senior coaching changes last season, and it’s unforgivable, and an example of ageism, Williams wasn’t considered for any of them.
Choco said this week he is “fresh and ready”.
Let’s hope the AFL industry is also prepared to learn the lessons of the NFL and put winning ahead of prejudice.