Greg Williams Biography

Greg Williams has called on umpires to "back off" and give players more space in the wake of four separate umpire contact incidents in the past two rounds.

Williams, a dual Brownlow medallist, was hit with an infamous nine-match ban for touching an umpire in 1997 while playing for Carlton.

"I think players have got their own space and I really don’t think umpires should go into it. I reckon they get too close to them and they have to keep their space from the player. I really do," Williams said.

"Touching them is not on in any circumstances, but if the umpire's at least a metre or two metres away, it's not going to happen. I really think they just need to back off a bit and stay a metre or a metre-and-a-half away."

Greg Williams has been appointed as coach of the James Hird Academy, the development group for prospective Essendon father-son recruits.

"I'm really enjoying my time at the Bombers and working alongside the players and coaches," Williams said.

"The father-son rule has been one of the great initiatives of the AFL and the opportunity to help foster and develop Essendon's prospects is something I'm really looking forward to.

"I played against a lot of the dads involved in the program so it will be great to catch up with them and also offer as much help as I can to the children coming through."

Greg Williams' comments about this Sunday's clash between arch rivals Carlton and Essendon has opened up old wounds between the dual Brownlow medallist and 1987 Norm Smith medallist David Rhys-Jones.

Williams, who is working under Bombers coach John Worsfold as a specialist skills coach this season, said: "It'll be a big game, I'm sure there will be a huge crowd and 'our boys' the Bombers … it's hard to say I'm a Bomber but I really am committed here, and I really hope the Bombers kick their arse."

When informed about Williams' comments, Rhys-Jones could barely contain his anger, labelling the dual Brownlow medallist a mercenary.

"That's almost laughable, it's almost treason," Rhys-Jones said. "I hope all of the Carlton supporters read it as it shows what he is.

"It's very disappointing for a former Carlton player to talk like that, but not surprising ..."

Greg Williams says players suffering from concussion to take a couple of months off to recover from knocks to the head.

"There are different levels of concussion and if you're a certain level and you get knocked out there's got to be a one-month, two-month lay-off," Williams said.

"They've got to get treatment and they've got to make sure that they're right before they come back. And they've got to do something about it and they've got to make sure that it's not affecting the player."

Greg Williams reveals that head knocks during his playing days have taken its toll on his faculties as he ages.

"Obviously I know that I won the premiership in 1995 and things like that, but I don't remember a lot about the game, no I don't," Williams said.

"I know I started '84 at Geelong, '86 I can remember, all those main dates, and the Grand Final loss in '93 and won the Brownlow in '94.

"But the specifics as you say, like the Grand Final after the game in the rooms, I remember nothing about that."

Legendary AFL strongman Greg Williams yesterday declared the AFL had got it right in suspending Collingwood captain Nick Maxwell.