STEPHEN WILLIAMS has been elevated into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame.
He joins his father, Foster, and brother, Mark, as members of the hall of fame, which also saw Roger James inducted as a member of the class of 2016.
His career has spanned SANFL, VFL and AFL football as a player and coach, as well as most recently forging a reputation as one a leading insights commentator for ABC Local Radio in South Australia.
Few would realise Williams has the most extensive record of his family, having played 269 league games for Port Adelaide between 1979 and 1995.
His enviable premiership record matches that of his father, with Stephen also holding nine SANFL premiership medallions - six as a player, and three as a coach.
His first came in 1988 under his father’s coaching apprentice John Cahill, and he was involved in each of the club’s subsequent premierships.
Retiring as a player in 1995, he took over the reins from Cahill as principal of the Magpies midway through the 1996 season to allow the master coach to begin the process of setting up Port Adelaide’s AFL entry.
There, he coached Port to the 1996, 1998 and 1999 premierships.
Retiring as a coach at the end of 2003, Williams soon took up the special comments man’s microphone for the ABC’s AFL coverage in South Australia – a role he has maintained for a decade.
Former teammate Tim Ginever - also captain of the club for Williams' first two seasons as coach - described Williams as a trademark Port player - skilled and uncompromising.
"Gary McIntosh said he rated Stephen as one of his hardest opponents - underestimated, but tough and hard, fierce and a bloody good player," Ginever said.
"I think for Steve, he was one of the best kicks we had, a hard, flat, low kick about two-and-a-half feet off the ground on the left or right.
"It took him years to establish himself as a senior player, I reckon he took until '86 to establish himself, he was then drafted to the Bears in 1987 and returned to us in '88.
"He was there for our golden era, played in the centre in 1988, '99 and '90.
"He was no different as a coach - tough and hard - and really pushed us when he took over from Jack in '96. Even though he wasn't playing in 1996 he wanted to get the three-in-a-row just as much of any of us players."
Stephen Williams playing record
Playing Career 1979-1995 (Port Adelaide 269 games, 288 goals 1979-1986, 1988-95; Brisbane Bears 4 games 1987)
Port Adelaide SANFL Coach 1996-2003 (163 games)
Premierships: 9 - 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995 (as player), 1996, 1998, 1999 (as coach)
Assistant coach Port Adelaide (AFL) 2004-2009
Commentator 891 ABC Adelaide
Life Member Port Adelaide Football Club
Playing Life Member (200 Club) SANFL
Halls of Fame Port Adelaide, SA Football
A.R. McLean Medal – 2nd place 1988, 1994
Port Adelaide Coaches’ Trophy 1988
Port Adelaide Most Dedicated 1994
Port Adelaide, Anthony Williams Memorial Trophy (Most Courageous) 1989
