Fos Williams
Encyclopedia
Foster Neil "Fos" Williams AM (born 21 February 1922 in Quorn
, South Australia
- died 1 September 2001 in Adelaide
) was a leading Australian rules football
er who played for and coached the Port Adelaide
and West Adelaide Football Club
s and coached South Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League
(SANFL) in a career spanning 1946-1978. He also played 34 interstate games
for South Australia, captaining the team from 1954-1958 and he coached the team in 45 games from 1955-1969.
and some 39km north-east of Port Augusta
, Williams had a late start to football due to World War II
. He enlisted in the Australian Army
on 5 March 1942, serving as a signalman before transferring to the Royal Australian Navy
on 31 March 1943, where he served as a telegrapher on the corvette HMAS Kiama
until his discharge on 6 June 1946.
. Williams first gained state selection for South Australia while with West Adelaide and also kicked 112 goals for the club until the end of 1949.
Fos Williams left West Adelaide to become Captain-Coach of Port Adelaide in 1950. In his first year at Port he won the club's best and fairest award and led the team to 3rd place. In 1951 he won his 2nd SANFL premiership as a player and the first of a then record 9 as a coach when he led the Magpies to an 11 point win over North Adelaide
in the Grand Final at the Adelaide Oval. Under the coaching of Williams from 1950 until 1958 Port returned to a position of power in the league and along with the 1951 win they won 5 in a row from 1954-58 and finished 2nd to Norths in 1952. The Magpies only missed the Grand Final when they finished 3rd in 1953. During their run from 54-58 under Williams Port defeated Norwood in 1955 and 1957 while the 1954, '56 and '58 wins were agains his old side West Adelaide. After leaving Alberton
at the end of 1958, Williams influence at the Magpies was still evident in his 3 year absence with the teams style of play changing little under new coach (and Williams old team mate) Geof Motley
. Motley took over as Captain-Coach and Port would finish 1st in 1959 and 3rd in both 1960 and 1961 before Williams returned in 1962.
During his time as Captain-Coach of the Magpies, Fos Williams wrote the Port Adelaide Football Club Creed.
coached Sturt who would go on to win 5 in a row (adding 1969 and 1970) equalling the 5 in a row won by Williams and Port from 1954-58.
Fos Williams continued to coach the Magpies until the end of the 1973 season when they finished 5th. During his 21 seasons at the helm of the Magpies, Port Adelaide had competed in 21 finals series, 16 Grand Finals and had won 9 premierships. At the time this was the record for coaching in the SANFL. Ironically it was the man who replaced Williams as Magpies coach for 1974, John Cahill, who would go on to break Williams record of 9 premierhsips when he won 10, all with the Port Adelaide Magpies.
Williams returned to West Adelaide as coach in 1974 but the side finished with its 3rd 'wooden spoon' in a row by finishing 10th and last. Williams recruited former Magpies rover Trevor Grimwood
in 1975 and the club improved, making their first finals series since 1969 by finishing 5th in 1976 and improved again to reach the finals again in 1977, ultimately finishing 3rd after losing to Glenelg
in the Preliminary Final at Football Park. 1977 also saw Trevor Grimwood would the Magarey Medal
. 1977 was also destined to be the 23rd and last SANFL Finals series featuring Fos Williams as a coach.
After finishing with a 14-8 record in 1977, West Adelaide slumped in what was Fos Williams last year as an SANFL league coach in 1978. The Bloods finished with a 5-17 and could only manage 9th place. Following the season Fos Williams retired from coaching.
and was captain of the state from 1954-1958. Williams was also the coach of the South Australian team from 1955-58, from 1960-66 and again in 1968 and 1969. During his time as state coach, Williams was instrumental in instilling the belief in his players that their usual tormentors, Victoria, were no better than they were and it all culminated in the 1963 with a 7 point win over the Big V at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
, their first win in Melbourne since 1926.
Fos Williams was named as a in the 'Sporting Life' Team of the Year (All-Australian) in both 1950 and 1951. On both occasions he was selected in the Forward pocket
.
Williams has a number of honours in his name, such as the Fos Williams Medal
, awarded to South Australia's best player in a State of Origin game, and one of the grandstands at Alberton Oval
named the "Fos Williams Stand".
played 380 games of league football for West Adelaide
and Port Adelaide
in the SANFL, and Collingwood
and Brisbane
in the VFL, and coached the AFL's Port Adelaide Power for twelve years, including its first premiership. Anthony Williams, Mark's twin, also played for West Adelaide and Port Adelaide. Younger son Stephen Williams
played 268 games and coached eight seasons for Port Adelaide, winning nine premierships as player and coach. Daughter Jenny Williams represented Australia in several sports, but was best noted as a lacrosse
player.
Williams died on 1 September 2001 aged 79. He is survived by his wife Von, sons Mark and Stephen and daughter Jenny.
Quorn, South Australia
Quorn is a township and railhead in the Flinders Ranges in the north of South Australia, 39 km northeast of Port Augusta. At the 2006 census, Quorn had a population of 1068.Quorn is the home of the Flinders Ranges Council local government area...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
- died 1 September 2001 in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
) was a leading Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played for and coached the Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Magpies
The Port Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the South Australian National Football League...
and West Adelaide Football Club
West Adelaide Football Club
West Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the South Australian National Football League . Commonly known as The Bloods and Westies, the clubs home base is City Mazda Stadium located in Richmond, an inner-western suburb of Adelaide.-Early Years :West Adelaide was formed in...
s and coached South Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
(SANFL) in a career spanning 1946-1978. He also played 34 interstate games
Interstate matches in Australian rules football
Australian rules football matches between teams representing Australian colonies/states and territories have been held since 1879. For most of the 20th century, the absence of a national club competition and international matches meant that football games between state representative teams were...
for South Australia, captaining the team from 1954-1958 and he coached the team in 45 games from 1955-1969.
Life
Born in the town of Quorn, located in the Flinders RangesFlinders Ranges
Flinders Ranges is the largest mountain range in South Australia, which starts approximately north west of Adelaide. The discontinuous ranges stretch for over from Port Pirie to Lake Callabonna...
and some 39km north-east of Port Augusta
Port Augusta, South Australia
-Electricity generation:Electricity is generated at the Playford B and Northern power stations from brown coal mined at Leigh Creek, 250 km to the north...
, Williams had a late start to football due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He enlisted in the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
on 5 March 1942, serving as a signalman before transferring to the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
on 31 March 1943, where he served as a telegrapher on the corvette HMAS Kiama
HMAS Kiama
HMAS Kiama , named for the coastal town of Kiama, New South Wales, was one of 60 Bathurst class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy ....
until his discharge on 6 June 1946.
Player - Playing Coach
Williams began his league career in 1946, aged 24 with West Adelaide. He was the 609th player selected to play for Westies and made his league debut on 20 July 1946. He played 54 games for Wests, including playing as a rover in their victorious 1947 Grand Final against Norwood at the Adelaide OvalAdelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
. Williams first gained state selection for South Australia while with West Adelaide and also kicked 112 goals for the club until the end of 1949.
Fos Williams left West Adelaide to become Captain-Coach of Port Adelaide in 1950. In his first year at Port he won the club's best and fairest award and led the team to 3rd place. In 1951 he won his 2nd SANFL premiership as a player and the first of a then record 9 as a coach when he led the Magpies to an 11 point win over North Adelaide
North Adelaide Roosters
North Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club, who play in the South Australian National Football League.- History :Formed in 1888 as Medindie, in 1893 the club renamed itself to North Adelaide. It is the fourth oldest club still in operation in the SANFL...
in the Grand Final at the Adelaide Oval. Under the coaching of Williams from 1950 until 1958 Port returned to a position of power in the league and along with the 1951 win they won 5 in a row from 1954-58 and finished 2nd to Norths in 1952. The Magpies only missed the Grand Final when they finished 3rd in 1953. During their run from 54-58 under Williams Port defeated Norwood in 1955 and 1957 while the 1954, '56 and '58 wins were agains his old side West Adelaide. After leaving Alberton
Alberton Oval
Alberton Oval is located in Alberton, a north-western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. The ground is primarily used for Australian rules football and has a capacity of 17,000 people with seated grandstands holding 2,000,...
at the end of 1958, Williams influence at the Magpies was still evident in his 3 year absence with the teams style of play changing little under new coach (and Williams old team mate) Geof Motley
Geof Motley
Geof Motley OAM was an Australian Rules Football player and coach who played for SANFL side Port Adelaide. Motley was born near Alberton Oval, the home ground of the Port Adelaide Football Club, and grew up supporting Port Adelaide....
. Motley took over as Captain-Coach and Port would finish 1st in 1959 and 3rd in both 1960 and 1961 before Williams returned in 1962.
During his time as Captain-Coach of the Magpies, Fos Williams wrote the Port Adelaide Football Club Creed.
Coaching
After retiring from playing following the 1958 permiership, Williams coached the South Adelaide Panthers in 1960. Unfortunately Williams could do little with the under performing Panthers and the club finished 8th in his only season in charge. Williams returned to Alberton in 1962 as coach taking over Geof Motley, who stayed on as team captain. Williams would once again lead Port Adelaide to premierships in 1962, 1963 and 1965. From the time he returned in 1962 until 1968 Port Adelaide appeared in every SANFL Grand Final, unfortunately losing the last 3 in a row (1966-68) to the Jack OateyJack Oatey
Jack Oatey, AM was a former Australian rules football player and coach.-Playing career:Oatey played 181 games for the Norwood Football Club between 1940 and 1952 and acted as playing-coach from 1945 to 1952....
coached Sturt who would go on to win 5 in a row (adding 1969 and 1970) equalling the 5 in a row won by Williams and Port from 1954-58.
Fos Williams continued to coach the Magpies until the end of the 1973 season when they finished 5th. During his 21 seasons at the helm of the Magpies, Port Adelaide had competed in 21 finals series, 16 Grand Finals and had won 9 premierships. At the time this was the record for coaching in the SANFL. Ironically it was the man who replaced Williams as Magpies coach for 1974, John Cahill, who would go on to break Williams record of 9 premierhsips when he won 10, all with the Port Adelaide Magpies.
Williams returned to West Adelaide as coach in 1974 but the side finished with its 3rd 'wooden spoon' in a row by finishing 10th and last. Williams recruited former Magpies rover Trevor Grimwood
Trevor Grimwood
Trevor Foster Grimwood is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Port Adelaide and West Adelaide in the SANFL.Grimwood's first attempt at a career in the SANFL was unsuccessful, he was on the books for Norwood in both 1965 and 1966 but didn't play a senior game...
in 1975 and the club improved, making their first finals series since 1969 by finishing 5th in 1976 and improved again to reach the finals again in 1977, ultimately finishing 3rd after losing to Glenelg
Glenelg Tigers
Glenelg Football Club is an Australian rules football team, which plays in the South Australian National Football League. The club is known as the "Tigers" , and their home ground is Gliderol Stadium @ Glenelg , located in the southern coastal suburb of Glenelg East, South Australia.-Club...
in the Preliminary Final at Football Park. 1977 also saw Trevor Grimwood would the Magarey Medal
Magarey Medal
For the biography award of the same name, see Magarey Medal for biography. For a list of winners, see List of Magarey Medallists.The Magarey Medal is an Australian rules football honour awarded annually since 1898 to the fairest and most brilliant player in the South Australian National Football...
. 1977 was also destined to be the 23rd and last SANFL Finals series featuring Fos Williams as a coach.
After finishing with a 14-8 record in 1977, West Adelaide slumped in what was Fos Williams last year as an SANFL league coach in 1978. The Bloods finished with a 5-17 and could only manage 9th place. Following the season Fos Williams retired from coaching.
Interstate Football
During his career as a player Fos Williams represented South Australia on 34 occasions in Interstate matchesInterstate matches in Australian rules football
Australian rules football matches between teams representing Australian colonies/states and territories have been held since 1879. For most of the 20th century, the absence of a national club competition and international matches meant that football games between state representative teams were...
and was captain of the state from 1954-1958. Williams was also the coach of the South Australian team from 1955-58, from 1960-66 and again in 1968 and 1969. During his time as state coach, Williams was instrumental in instilling the belief in his players that their usual tormentors, Victoria, were no better than they were and it all culminated in the 1963 with a 7 point win over the Big V at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
, their first win in Melbourne since 1926.
Fos Williams was named as a in the 'Sporting Life' Team of the Year (All-Australian) in both 1950 and 1951. On both occasions he was selected in the Forward pocket
Forward pocket
In Australian rules football, the forward pocket refers to a position on the field deep in offense.Forward pocket players, situated in the forward line, need to have good avoidance and goal sneak skills and usually, quality forward-pockets are noted for their agility and ability to score difficult...
.
Comments
One commentator wrote "Perhaps more than any other single individual, Fos Williams was responsible for catapulting South Australian football out of its predominantly casual, laissez faire mentality into the same kind of professional, brutally expedient, 'win at all costs' mindset as prevailed across the border in Victoria."Honours
Williams was made a Member of the Order of Australia on 26 January 1981 for his service to the sport of Australian football.Williams has a number of honours in his name, such as the Fos Williams Medal
Fos Williams Medal
The Fos Williams Medal has been awarded since 1981 to the best Australian rules football player from South Australia during Inter-State or Inter-Competition matches. The medal is named in honour of legendary South Australian National Football League player and coach Fos Williams.Originally the...
, awarded to South Australia's best player in a State of Origin game, and one of the grandstands at Alberton Oval
Alberton Oval
Alberton Oval is located in Alberton, a north-western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. The ground is primarily used for Australian rules football and has a capacity of 17,000 people with seated grandstands holding 2,000,...
named the "Fos Williams Stand".
Statistics
- Games: 239 (Port Adelaide 151, West Adelaide 54 and South Australia 34)
- Goals: 412 (Port Adelaide 240, West Adelaide 112 and South Australia 60)
- Premierships as a Player: 7 (1947 West Adelaide, Port Adelaide 1951, 1954-58)
- Port Adelaide Coach: 1950–1958, 1962–1973
- South Adelaide Coach: 1960
- West Adelaide Coach: 1974-78
- Premierships as a Coach: 9 (1951, 1954-58, 1962-63, 1965)
- State representative: 34
- State captain: 5 years
Personal life and family
Williams' four children all had successful sports careers. Son Mark WilliamsMark M. Williams
Mark "Choco" Williams is a former Australian rules footballer who coached the Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League from 1999 to 2010...
played 380 games of league football for West Adelaide
West Adelaide Football Club
West Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the South Australian National Football League . Commonly known as The Bloods and Westies, the clubs home base is City Mazda Stadium located in Richmond, an inner-western suburb of Adelaide.-Early Years :West Adelaide was formed in...
and Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Magpies
The Port Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the South Australian National Football League...
in the SANFL, and Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
and Brisbane
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
in the VFL, and coached the AFL's Port Adelaide Power for twelve years, including its first premiership. Anthony Williams, Mark's twin, also played for West Adelaide and Port Adelaide. Younger son Stephen Williams
Stephen Williams (footballer)
Stephen Williams is a former Australian rules footballer in the South Australian National Football League, playing for the Port Adelaide Magpies and is currently an assistant development coach at Port Adelaide Power....
played 268 games and coached eight seasons for Port Adelaide, winning nine premierships as player and coach. Daughter Jenny Williams represented Australia in several sports, but was best noted as a lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
player.
Williams died on 1 September 2001 aged 79. He is survived by his wife Von, sons Mark and Stephen and daughter Jenny.