Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn: Jason Williams - Development coach

[Strapping Young Lad]

HAWTHORN has added another coach to its development team for 2026 by signing Port Adelaide development coach Jason Williams.

Williams has spent the past two years working at Alberton under Ken Hinkley after starting his coaching journey in Victoria.

A proud Noongar man from Narrogin in Western Australia, Williams coached alongside Xavier Clarke in the Indigenous All Stars game on the eve of the 2025 season.

Williams worked with the emerging forwards at the Power and oversaw Port Adelaide's Next Generation Academy.

 

[5minutes_of_Dew]

Thought this seemed like a pretty obscure pick to bring across.

But I'll reserve judgement because I seem to remember a fairly little-known Port assistant serving us pretty well in the past.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Thought this seemed like a pretty obscure pick to bring across.

But I'll reserve judgement because I seem to remember a fairly little-known Port assistant serving us pretty well in the past.

He has a pretty good CV, and considering that he was part of the Indigenous team’s coaching set up alongside Sam he must have seen something he liked.

 

[SSSSSS]

I really like the appointment.

He's done it the hard way.

Young fella thought he was going to get drafted but didn't make it. Had a good year in the VFL with Port Melbourne but his dad dies and he spirals. Fell out of love with footy, had some off-field troubles. Fell in love with footy again playing through the lower leagues and has become a real mentor for young men.

Jason said it himself when he was at Bacchus Marsh (coached them to a flag)

“I was confident that I could play a role in turning the club around and create an environment that current, new, and past players would want to be a part of,” he said. “My overall goal was to create an environment that fostered a sense of love and affiliation to the Club ... I have loved every minute spent with the playing group. The demand of high standards and expectations went both ways, I expected and demanded a lot of my guys, they delivered and demanded and expected the same back from me."

Why does this scream Sam Mitchell to me?

Bacchus Marsh president had this to say

“The club has received this news with feelings of sadness at the loss of an exceptional coach, but also with an immense sense of pride that we have been a part of the progression of Jason’s career and pathway to the highest level in the land. The 2023 season has been one of great challenge and tremendous growth across our whole football program. Jason has reshaped the way our players think about themselves and their club.

He has empowered players young and old to believe they could achieve beyond their own expectations and time and again, this belief led to success and improvement right across the playing roster. This growth has been born out on the scoreboard in the latter part of the year with three consecutive wins, culminating in last week’s triumph on the road against finals aspirant, Sunbury [Lions]. This was a win that defined Jason’s year with the Cobras.”

 

[Innovativefwd]

I really like the appointment.

He's done it the hard way.

Young fella thought he was going to get drafted but didn't make it. Had a good year in the VFL with Port Melbourne but his dad dies and he spirals. Fell out of love with footy, had some off-field troubles. Fell in love with footy again playing through the lower leagues and has become a real mentor for young men.

Jason said it himself when he was at Bacchus Marsh (coached them to a flag)

“I was confident that I could play a role in turning the club around and create an environment that current, new, and past players would want to be a part of,” he said. “My overall goal was to create an environment that fostered a sense of love and affiliation to the Club ... I have loved every minute spent with the playing group. The demand of high standards and expectations went both ways, I expected and demanded a lot of my guys, they delivered and demanded and expected the same back from me."

Why does this scream Sam Mitchell to me?

Bacchus Marsh president had this to say

“The club has received this news with feelings of sadness at the loss of an exceptional coach, but also with an immense sense of pride that we have been a part of the progression of Jason’s career and pathway to the highest level in the land. The 2023 season has been one of great challenge and tremendous growth across our whole football program. Jason has reshaped the way our players think about themselves and their club.

He has empowered players young and old to believe they could achieve beyond their own expectations and time and again, this belief led to success and improvement right across the playing roster. This growth has been born out on the scoreboard in the latter part of the year with three consecutive wins, culminating in last week’s triumph on the road against finals aspirant, Sunbury [Lions]. This was a win that defined Jason’s year with the Cobras.”

He didn’t coach them to a flag? Finals yes but not a premiership

 

[SSSSSS]

He didn’t coach them to a flag? Finals yes but not a premiership

My mistake. Did he maybe play in the flag for them in the flag or was involved in some way?

I just read in his interview that his career highlight was the flag win over Sunbury.

 

[The Kipster]

Welcome Jason to the mighty Hawks, I wish you nothing but good will and success.