{"id":82624,"date":"2025-08-20T14:29:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T14:29:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/82624\/"},"modified":"2025-08-20T14:29:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T14:29:09","slug":"melbourne-let-go-of-afl-icon-mark-williams-just-weeks-after-simon-goodwin-sacking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/82624\/","title":{"rendered":"Melbourne let go of AFL icon Mark Williams just weeks after Simon Goodwin sacking"},"content":{"rendered":"

Much-loved AFL<\/a> icon Mark \u2018Choco\u2019 Williams has been told his services are no longer required at the Melbourne Football Club<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Port Adelaide<\/a> premiership coach is an AFL cult figure, coaching the Power to their maiden premiership in 2004 and playing key roles in Richmond\u2019s three-flag dynasty between 2017 and 2020, and Melbourne\u2019s drought-breaking flag in 2021.<\/p>\n

The left-field thinker started at the club at the end of the 2020 season.<\/p>\n

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But as the Demons begin a search for a new coach following the sacking of Simon Goodwin, the 66-year-old has also been handed the sad news that he is not part of their future plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can tell you tonight that Mark Williams has been told that his contract will not be renewed at the Demons,\u201d Kane Cornes said on SEN.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe started there and was appointed Melbourne\u2019s head of development in December 2020, and did a fine job, the premiership was clearly a highlight there.<\/p>\n

\"MarkMark Williams won\u2019t be at the Demons in 2026. Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s the most impressive football person that I have ever worked with, and I can also tell you that he\u2019s desperate to continue.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s 66 years of age and still as determined and hungry for success as ever.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis phone is on, and he\u2019s ready to accept any opportunities in the AFL, and he\u2019s still as passionate as he always has been.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams\u2019 experience is certainly vast and impressive.<\/p>\n

He has worked under master-coach Kevin Sheedy at Essendon, but has also spent time at start-up clubs such as GWS and Brisbane when they were Bears.<\/p>\n

Of course, Port Adelaide had only been in the AFL for two years when Williams took the coaching reins in 1999.<\/p>\n

He coached Cornes during a golden era, where he took the club to its first flag in 2004, after preliminary finals appearance in 2003 and 2002, and a semi-final in 2001.<\/p>\n

Cornes believes Williams is an obvious fit for the AFL\u2019s 19th club in Tasmania.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s the most impressive football person that I\u2019ve ever seen, the only person to be there from the ground up at three clubs (Brisbane, Port Adelaide and GWS),\u201d Cornes said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why I think it\u2019s a perfect fit at Tassie. No one has the experience with first-up teams like him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe passion to help young players and develop them has always been his biggest strength, even when he was a senior coach, that was where his passion lied.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re going to spend at least 12 months before they enter the main competition. So, to be able to develop those players at VFL level as they\u2019re playing and the side is developing under a coach, he\u2019d be a great option.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Cornes also thought Williams could be a handy addition to Carlton.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir skill level has been much spoken about this year and how poor it\u2019s been,\u201d Cornes said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one is more passionate about developing the skills of the game than Mark Williams.\u201d<\/p>\n

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