Paul Williams
Personal information
Full name Paul Williams
Date of birth (1973-04-03) 3 April 1973 (age 51)
Original team(s) North Hobart (TFL)
Draft No. 70, 1989 National draft, Collingwood
Height 177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 83 kg (183 lb)
Position(s) Utility
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1991–2000 Collingwood 189 (223)
2001–2006 Sydney 117 (84)
Total 306 (307)
Coaching career3
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
2011 Western Bulldogs 3 (2–1–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2006.
3 Coaching statistics correct as of 2011.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Paul Williams (born 3 April 1973) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club and the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is also a former assistant coach in the AFL, which most notably included a brief period as caretaker coach of the Western Bulldogs towards the end of the 2011 season.

Playing career

Collingwood Football Club

Williams began his AFL career with Collingwood Football Club, joining them from Tasmanian club North Hobart. Playing in a number of positions ranging from half back to half forward, the tough-tackling Williams was a regular in the mostly unsuccessful Collingwood side of the late 1990s, racking up 189 games and kicking 223 goals (his best being 6 against Carlton in 1996).[1][2]

Sydney Swans

However, at the end of the 2000 season, he was traded to Sydney Swans for two draft picks. There, he immediately made an impact, winning two consecutive Bob Skilton Medals in 2001 and 2002, as well as being selected in the All-Australian team of 2003.[3]

In 2005, Williams played in the Swans' premiership side. In doing so, he established an AFL record for most matches played by a player before being in a premiership side, with the Grand Final having been his 294th game. Shane Crawford surpassed this record in 2008.[4]

On 13 May 2006 against Richmond at Etihad Stadium, Williams became the 45th player to play 300 VFL/AFL games. The Swans won this match by 118 points, setting a record for the biggest winning margin in a match featuring a player playing his 300th VFL/AFL game.[5]

Retirement

On 21 June 2006, Williams announced he would be retiring at the end of the 2006 premiership season, which was his 16th at AFL level (and 6th with Sydney). Reasons cited for his retirement were the fact that his family was based in Melbourne, and that more opportunities for selection to younger players such as Tim Schmidt and Paul Bevan was important for the club.[6]

On 11 July 2006, senior coach of Sydney Swans Paul Roos reported at a press conference that Williams was a chance to be rested for the forthcoming game against West Coast. Hours later, Williams announced his retirement, effective immediately due to surgery required on a broken collarbone, not seeing out his initial promise to retire at the end of the season.[7]

Coaching career

Melbourne Football Club

In 2007, Williams took up an assistant coaching role at the Melbourne Football Club, serving there for two years.

Western Bulldogs

In 2009, he moved into an assistant coaching role at the Western Bulldogs, and served there for three years. While at the Bulldogs, Williams served three matches as caretaker senior coach after Rodney Eade left the club before the end of the 2011 season.[8][9] Williams' first match as caretaker senior coach of Bulldogs resulted in a 60-point win over bottom-of-the-ladder Port Adelaide.[10] During this period, he coached his 2005 Sydney premiership teammate Barry Hall, who retired at season's end.[11] Williams was however not retained as the Bulldogs senior coach at the conclusion of the 2011 season and was replaced by Brendan McCartney as the senior coach of the Western Bulldogs Football Club.

Carlton Football Club

Williams shifted to a midfield assistant coaching role at the Carlton Football Club in 2012 on a two-year contract,[12] but was sacked after one unsuccessful season.[13]

Post-coaching career

Williams now sits on the AFL Tribunal jury, adjudicating on high-profile cases that arise during the regular season.[14]

Statistics

Playing statistics

[15]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
1991 Collingwood 37 19 19 21 207 104 311 51 47 1.0 1.1 10.9 5.5 16.4 2.7 2.5
1992 Collingwood 10 13 11 10 129 63 192 50 22 0.8 0.8 9.9 4.8 14.8 3.8 1.7
1993 Collingwood 10 20 16 16 198 121 319 61 54 0.8 0.8 9.9 6.1 16.0 3.1 2.7
1994 Collingwood 10 18 31 21 169 85 254 56 47 1.7 1.2 9.4 4.7 14.1 3.1 2.6
1995 Collingwood 10 22 30 22 306 107 413 88 56 1.4 1.0 13.9 4.9 18.8 4.0 2.5
1996 Collingwood 10 21 38 25 295 105 400 87 32 1.8 1.2 14.0 5.0 19.0 4.1 1.5
1997 Collingwood 10 22 28 23 332 163 495 99 46 1.3 1.0 15.1 7.4 22.5 4.5 2.1
1998 Collingwood 10 16 9 11 219 95 314 61 38 0.6 0.7 13.7 5.9 19.6 3.8 2.4
1999 Collingwood 10 17 14 9 206 98 304 46 17 0.8 0.5 12.1 5.8 17.9 2.7 1.0
2000 Collingwood 10 21 27 17 253 118 371 88 70 1.3 0.8 12.0 5.6 17.7 4.2 3.3
2001 Sydney 10 23 25 28 282 143 425 92 62 1.1 1.2 12.3 6.2 18.5 4.0 2.7
2002 Sydney 10 19 21 18 273 146 419 52 68 1.1 0.9 14.4 7.7 22.1 2.7 3.6
2003 Sydney 10 23 20 9 263 154 417 66 72 0.9 0.4 11.4 6.7 18.1 2.9 3.1
2004 Sydney 10 21 9 8 229 156 385 59 44 0.4 0.4 10.9 7.4 18.3 2.8 2.1
2005 Sydney 10 19 5 4 194 121 315 51 44 0.3 0.2 10.2 6.4 16.6 2.7 2.3
2006 Sydney 10 12 4 4 108 67 175 52 24 0.3 0.3 9.0 5.6 14.6 4.3 2.0
Career 306 307 246 3663 1846 5509 1059 743 1.0 0.8 12.0 6.0 18.0 3.5 2.4

Coaching statistics

[16]
Legend
 W  Wins  L  Losses  D  Draws  W%  Winning percentage  LP  Ladder position  LT  League teams
Season Team Games W L D W % LP LT
2011 Western Bulldogs 3 2 1 0 66.7% 10 18
Career totals 3 2 1 0 66.7%

Honours and achievements

Brownlow Medal votes
Season Votes
1991 3
1992 2
1993 4
1994 1
1995 6
1996 6
1997 10
1998 6
1999 2
2000 9
2001 3
2002 16
2003 8
2004 9
2005 4
2006 0
Total 89

Team

Individual

References

  1. ^ "PAUL WILLIAMS". Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Paul Williams". Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  3. ^ "PAUL WILLIAMS". Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  4. ^ "PAUL WILLIAMS". Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  5. ^ "On This Day: Paul Roos' 300th AFL game". Sydney Swans Media. 15 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  6. ^ "PAUL WILLIAMS". Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  7. ^ "PAUL WILLIAMS". Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  8. ^ Kogoy, Peter (18 August 2011). "Paul Williams take reins after Rodney Eade walks". The Australian. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  9. ^ "Eade won't coach again in 2011". 18 August 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  10. ^ Porter, Ashley (22 August 2011). "It's Dogs before me: Williams". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 22 August 2011.
  11. ^ Witham, Jennifer (3 September 2011). "Dogs proud of their Baz". Western Bulldogs. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  12. ^ Windley, Matt (4 October 2011). "Bulldogs caretaker coach Paul Williams joins Carlton as assistant". Herald Sun. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  13. ^ Denham, Greg (8 September 2012). "Blues clear the decks for Malthouse". The Australian. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  14. ^ Phelan, Jason (7 July 2020). "Bulldog tackle ban stands at AFL tribunal". Manning River Times. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  15. ^ Paul Williams' player profile at AFL Tables
  16. ^ Paul Williams' coaching profile at AFL Tables

External links

Tasmanian Team of the Century
Sydney Swans 2005 AFL premiers
Bob Skilton Medal · Sydney Swans best and fairest winners
Coaches of the Footscray Football Club/Western Bulldogs
2003 All-Australian team
Tasmanian team – 1991 State of Origin
Tasmanian team – 1993 State of Origin
Australian Football Alliance (The Allies) team – 1995 State of Origin
Australian Football Alliance (The Allies) team – 1997 State of Origin
1989 VFL national draft
Larke Medal winners
Categories