Mark Williams appointed to development coaching role at Melbourne

Mark Williams, who had a part in Dustin Martin’s rise to stardom, has secured a key role at the Demons and he’s backing Christian Petracca to reach similar heights.

Mark Williams during his stint as Port Adelaide coach.

New Melbourne development boss Mark Williams says the Demons list should set its sights on a premiership as he urged Christian Petracca to emulate Dustin Martin’s extraordinary deeds.

The Herald Sun revealed on Tuesday that Port Adelaide premiership coach would join the Demons after a successful stint as Werribee coach.

The man who could so easily have been the GWS or St Kilda coach when he believed he had both those roles made clear he was backing senior coach Simon Goodwin to the hilt.

He promised some of the old-school physicality that made him such a renowned coach but made clear he remained a teaching coach who had explored mindfulness and psychology.

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Williams will replace Matthew Egan in a new-look Demons line-up that includes Alan Richardson as the football boss.

But while Demons are experts in fearing the worst given the club’s onfield struggles, Williams urged the club to shoot for the stars.

He said it was capable given its 2018 season despite two barren years since that preliminary final berth.

“I have spoken to Goody and he’s so excited to have a person with this experience around him. He and I have known each other for a long time and he understands I am there to back him and help all the players and the other coaches at Melbourne,” he said.

“I am trying to improve everyone, whether it’s the oldest to the youngest players with the mindset of trying to be great and let’s go as far as we can.

“That means we are searching and hunting for premierships, there is no doubt about that.

“We are not just trying to improve, we want to be great.”

Mark Williams’ famous choking gesture after winning the 2004 premiership with Port Adelaide.

Mark Williams coaching at Werribee in 2019. Pic: Michael Klein.

Williams’ close relationship with Dustin Martin was built over four years at Richmond, with the pair so tight the Norm Smith medallist even fulfilled Williams’ cheeky pre-Grand Final prediction of four goals.

Petracca finished third in the Brownlow Medal after a stunning transformation and Williams says he should not stop now, even saying he might arrange a kick-to-kick between the two stars.

“I am going to pick a number. Was he fifth in the Brownlow Medal? He’s a bloody good player. I can recall Dustin coming seventh and third. I can recall Dustin before he had tatts on his arms. I go back and I see very similar traits.

“Christian has gone along quite nicely and he won’t be satisfied with where he is at.

“He sees examples and an example of Dustin would be something that can challenge him.

“If I can help him to in any way emulate the path of Dustin everyone at Melbourne will be thrilled at that prospect.”

Melbourne chief executive Gary Pert recently told the Herald Sun Goodwin had been backed in as the club’s coach for 2021 but the entire club needed to be more consistent through games and quarters to play finals again.

The new Head of Development role comes at a perfect time for Melbourne as it attempts to maximise the output of young draft picks Luke Jackson, Kysaiah Pickett and Sam Weideman.

At GWS Williams was effectively the match-day coach despite Kevin Sheedy’s title and turned a bunch of eager young draft picks into a tough hard-bitten team.

He still exchanges pre-match messages with triple Norm Smith Medallist Martin, saying he had tasked him with kicking four goals in the win over Geelong.

“I sent Dustin a message on the Thursday beforehand and Dustin’s always been a player that likes a little carrot in front of him, so I gave him a target,” Williams said.

“I said to him, ‘I reckon four goals will do you, mate’ and I’m sitting there thinking, ‘he’s got three, that’s not bad’ but then he delivered on the last one.”

Ironically he will team up with new footy boss Alan Richardson at Melbourne.

He told the Sacked podcast he believed he had the St Kilda job but given the scope of the challenge he had asked for a five year deal.

St Kilda got cold feet and went back to then-Port Adelaide staffer Richardson, handing him the job.