HAWTHORN premiership player Mark Williams has signed with Ballan in the Central Highlands league.
The indigenous star, 28, has agreed to a two-year deal with the Blues.
Ballan finished last season with just three wins and will be hoping the addition of Williams kick-starts a climb up the ladder.
A two-time leading goalkicker with the Hawks, Williams was traded to Essendon at the end of the 2009 season.
He managed just four games at the Bombers before succumbing to a chronic knee injury and retiring in July last year.
Williams will make his first appearance for Ballan on April 14 when the Blues take on reigning premier Waubra.
Meanwhile, fellow Central Highlands club Carngham-Linton is battling to find enough senior players with the season looming.
Secretary Sam Richardson said the club had done a lot of work over the past few weeks to boost player stocks and would "absolutely be right to go in Round 1".
"We have had some trouble with numbers, but it in the past few weeks we've started to see guys start to commit," he said.
Richardson said anyone coming to the area for university or just looking for a game of football was welcome to get in touch with the club.
- Phone Sam Richardson on 0418 856 047.
