AFL player signs with Ballan

Hawthorn premiership player Mark Williams has joined the Blues on a two-year deal.

The 28-year-old put pen to paper on Wednesday and was officially unveiled at training last night, where he met his new teammates.

The Williams deal has been a two-month process through new coach Darron Batties, who was thrilled to have lured such a high-profile star to the club.

“I did promise the club I would get a ‘player’ down here, as such, but not in my wildest thoughts did I think he would be an AFL player that had played in a flag four years ago and an AFL player who is under 30 years old,” he said.

“Things have got to turn for the better and maybe this is the start of something. As a club we have just got to make it work, and I’m sure we will.”

Williams was heavily involved in his first night on the track, and was impressed with what he saw.

“It’s a lot better than I expected, having seen some of the country clubs around Victoria,” Williams said.

“They have got some nice club rooms, a nice bunch of people and I’m looking forward to the season.”

Williams’ signing also includes a mentoring role with the club’s young brigade.

“I am going to help out with the under-18s and give them some direction and hopefully they go a bit better than they did last year,” he said.

Ballan president Matthew Green said Williams’ arrival was a massive appointment for the struggling club, which hasn’t played senior finals since 2002 and won just three games in a disappointing 2011 campaign.

“It will give our young players an idea of what you have to do to be a successful footballer and play in successful football teams,” Green said.

Williams, a two-time leading goalkicker at Hawthorn, booted 46 majors in the Hawks’ 2008 premiership season, including five in the preliminary final win over St Kilda and three against Geelong in the decider. He played four matches for Essendon.