Playing Style
Williams made his name as one of the best centres in the history of the game. He was particularly skilful at handpassing, and was the most prolific user of the skill during his era. The hallmark of Williams' play was his ability to win ground contests, and almost immediately free the ball to nearby team-mates via quick, accurate handpassing. To that end, Williams' other strengths included his vision and awareness of the team-mates around him; he is said to have been heavily involved in midfield tactics at ball-ups. His kicking and ball winning skills were also strong.
Williams strengths outweighed several negative physical characteristics which could have hindered his career as a footballer. Most notably, he was a very slow runner; he had been knock-kneed as a child, and his pace was not helped by five knee surgeries throughout his career. He was also short and stocky (and, indeed, overweight early in his career).
Williams became known by the nickname "Diesel", because his playing style was characterised as "slow, but reliable", much like a diesel engine. The name was given to him after his first VFL match by Geelong captain Michael Turner, and remains widely used.
Read more about this topic: Greg Williams (Australian Footballer)
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