Hawthorn have bolstered its coaching ranks with the appointment of Jason Williams as a development coach.
Williams, a proud Noongar man from Narrogin in Western Australia, brings a wealth of experience across player development, talent pathways, and Indigenous programs.
Most recently, he worked at Port Adelaide as a development coach while also managing the club's Next Generation Academy.
Williams' resume also includes serving as an assistant coach for this year's Indigenous All Stars game, leading the AFL's Indigenous Talent Program as head coach, and holding previous coaching positions with both the Northern Bullants in the VFL and the Calder Cannons in the Coates Talent League.
Before moving into coaching, Williams was a talented player himself, competing in the VFL and representing Vic Metro at junior national championships.
Hawthorn's Executive General Manager of Football, Rob McCartney, said the club was thrilled to welcome Williams into the fold.
"On behalf of club, I'd like to welcome Jason to Hawthorn," McCartney said.
"Whilst relatively fresh in his AFL coaching journey, what Jason brings goes well beyond football field, he is an emerging leader of young men with an incredibly strong passion for helping and providing mentorship to players.
"Gifted with an ability of building strong relationships, Jason is the sort of person who shows genuine care and compassion for his players and we're very excited about him teaching and empowering our next generation of Hawks."
In other AFL coaching news, former Carlton and Western Bulldogs defender Liam Jones has begun his post-playing career with the Brisbane Lions, joining the reigning premiers as a development coach.
The 34-year-old Kija man, who played 205 games across his career at the elite level, was delisted by the Western Bulldogs at the end of this season.
The key defender had a frustrating 2025 campaign that was hampered by soft-tissue injuries and a slide down the selection order.
Jones managed just five senior appearances for the season - his lowest tally since his debut year in 2010 - as the Bulldogs looked to rejuvenate their defensive stocks with younger options.
He was initially hoping for a lifeline to continue playing with another AFL club, but said earlier this month that if there was no interest, he would be happy to transition into coaching.
"I'd love to stay in football, so if that was to be as a development coach or be involved in some capacity," Jones told SEN.
"I love the game and would be excited about that opportunity as well."
It is believed that Jones is a chance to continue his playing career with Brisbane's VFL team.
