Port premiership coach joins Hawthorn's AFLW program
Hawthorn's AFLW program has received a massive boost after appointing 2004 Port Adelaide premiership coach Mark Williams as the new head of development.
www.perthnow.com.auDirect answer: Mark Williams (often known as Choco Williams) has taken on a AFLW role with Hawthorn, serving as Hawthorn’s AFLW Head of Development as of May 2026.
Details and context:
- Hawthorn announced Williams’ appointment to lead and develop the AFLW program, highlighting his extensive coaching and development experience.[3][5]
- Williams is renowned for a long coaching career at Port Adelaide (premiership in 2004) and later development roles at Melbourne, which culminated in a leadership position there before moving to Hawthorn.[5][3]
- The move represents Hawthorn’s aim to leverage Williams’ track record in player development and program building to strengthen their AFLW side.[3][5]
If you’d like, I can pull a concise timeline of the announcements and summarize key quotes from Hawthorn and Williams, or I can scan for additional local coverage from Australian outlets to cross-verify dates and any follow-up statements.