Toast Congratulations Mark Williams - inducted into Australian Football Hall of Fame

[Lagooner]

Good luck to him, I don’t begrudge the honour but from my port perspective he did a lot of damage as well as good.

Pushed Cahill out too early IMO.

Led choking teams.

2005 EF embarrasment
2007 embarrassment

Then milked us in 2010 when he should have walked earlier. Didn’t bottom out after 07 costing us lot of time.

So for his one achievement there’s plenty that wasn’t.

Anyway cheers Choco enjoy the acknowledgment

I don’t think this part is true. I’m pretty sure I saw a recent interview where he claims that we never paid him the remainder of his contract. We were in such dire straits at the time we basically said that we just couldn’t afford to so he walked away from it.

 

[bomberclifford]

I don’t think this part is true. I’m pretty sure I saw a recent interview where he claims that we never paid him the remainder of his contract. We were in such dire straits at the time we basically said that we just couldn’t afford to so he walked away from it.

He also took a pay cut with his last contract, I believe.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

 

[Portmagpies36]

How many premierships have those 3 coached and played in !

 

[Rising Power]

Just watching the Aish induction. He teared up mentioning that his father would've loved to have seen it, had he been alive, and his sister who passed away 5 years ago. Like Ebert getting elevated last year, I bet the back slapping Vic boys club almost-immediate inductees (and inductors) thought nothing of it other than: 'Ya sHoUldA gaWn to tHe vFl!!1'

 

[Portwon]

Massive part of the Port Adelaide Football Club, it's culture ethos and success.

Also part of so many good memories for me as a supporter.

Today is a day to say thank you and well done.

Thanks Choc.

 

[Contested Marx]

I know, I’ll focus on the positives.

Carn Rick not the time or place

 

[LeoMessi]

Good luck to him, I don’t begrudge the honour but from my port perspective he did a lot of damage as well as good.

Pushed Cahill out too early IMO.

Led choking teams.

2005 EF embarrasment
2007 embarrassment

Then milked us in 2010 when he should have walked earlier. Didn’t bottom out after 07 costing us lot of time.

So for his one achievement there’s plenty that wasn’t.

Anyway cheers Choco enjoy the acknowledgment

Are you this bitter about everything else in life?

 

[RossFC]

The front page of the Footy Record this weekend.

 

[jabba5114]

Great man. Well deserved absolute travesty he never got a second stint.

Sent from my motorola edge 30 pro using Tapatalk

 

[jabba5114]

I don’t think this part is true. I’m pretty sure I saw a recent interview where he claims that we never paid him the remainder of his contract. We were in such dire straits at the time we basically said that we just couldn’t afford to so he walked away from it.

Yeah he said that on a podcast. They came to him and said he couldn't be paid or the club would go out of business so he just walked.

Sent from my motorola edge 30 pro using Tapatalk

 

[Jojay]

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

The front page of the Footy Record this weekend.

Gets in as a player but is pictued as a coach.

I dont know if they are dumb or sensitive about whether he wears a Port or Collingwood or Westies or Bears guernsey.

 

[RossFC]

Gets in as a player but is pictued as a coach.

I dont know if they are dumb or sensitive about whether he wears a Port or Collingwood or Westies or Bears guernsey.

Surely it's not one or the other, but for his contribution to football as a whole.

 

[Vagabond0]

Anyone for a link to Choco's full acceptance speech?

I used to cringe sometimes listening to Choco back in the early 2000s but only because of how others would translate his message and work it against us.

However, I always appreciate his raw honesty and don't give a stuff if you don't get me or us and what I'm/ we are about. He always came across as authentic.

I remember a few parents mentioning to me back in his coaching days at Port how much they appreciate him taking the time to speak positively about an aspect of their sons game. Busy guy, pressure on him but still willing to help others bring out their best, even if it was only a random lad that had played against his lads in school football.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Surely it's not one or the other, but for his contribution to football as a whole.

Nope you have specific categories.

 

[Poo Eckert]

Are you this bitter about everything else in life?

Currently maybe, perhaps my faith in people lost currently

 

[Poo Eckert]

Carn Rick not the time or place

I accept that

 

[Winganeen]

Could watch the clips and read about this all day, an absolute hero of mine is Choc.

Couple of small memories:

"My childhood hero was John Cahill. I always had 14 on the back, which was his number," Williams remembers
If you go back to Jacks boundary interview right after the 92' GF he mentioned that in the change rooms he went around to every player before the game and told them Choco and Greg Phillips would always be in his best 18 of all time. That's Jack making every player feel a foot taller before running out on to the ground.

I've seen some guys on social media, maybe Jacob Surjan

Jacob Surjan

Age

39

Ht

179cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.0

4star

K

6.9

3star

HB

7.1

4star

M

3.7

4star

T

2.2

4star

No current season stats available

D

6.8

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

1.6

2star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.0

4star

? Talk about Choco teaching them the absolute basics when they first came to the club, how to kick, how to handball. He's always been a teacher, Mark.

Finally just great to see the handover down the years, Fos-Jack-Bucky-Choc and the others in the clips like Hutton. Note the first person to greet Choco on the ground on that great day in 04' was WGT.

 

[morell]

Encourage everyone to watch his speech. Quintessential Mark Williams.

Appears abrasive and fumbly on the surface... but is actually soaked in empathy, passion and heart on sleeve emotion. Broke down talking about his Dad. Broke down talking about the sacrifice he made to uproot his life and take risks moving to Victoria. Finally wasn't afraid to shoot straight for an awkward topic and pleaded for better support for Aboriginal people and to vote yes in the referendum.

Whether you think he was a good coach bad coach or left too late or too early doesn't matter, his contribution to football is close matched or bettered by very few. His family... no-one comes near them. 21 Premierships out of 36 have a Williams involved.

 

[Dutchy5150]

The front page of the Footy Record this weekend.

Top right... The original Darrin Stevens from Bewitched???

 

[Winganeen]

Anyone for a link to Choco's full acceptance speech?

I used to cringe sometimes listening to Choco back in the early 2000s but only because of how others would translate his message and work it against us.

I found it on Kayo, about the 1:50:00 mark. Someone must be chopping onions in the other room....

On the cringe, remember the footy show prelim/Grand Final week "errrr, Mark that was just a joke".

 

[dirty2]

how autistic do you have to be to say this in this thread? * me.


Congrats Chocco.

What's autistic got to do with his post?

 

[dirty2]

Well done Mr Williams always a port legend to me.

 

[Butters and Pepper]

Did so well in his career to overcome that early stumble of 3 years having to play for West Adelaide.