Former Hawthorn premiership forward Mark Williams says his best football is still ahead of him and he's hoping his move to Essendon will rejuvenate his career.

Williams signed a three-year deal with the Bombers after a complicated four-club AFL trade week swap also involving the move of Port Adelaide midfielder Shaun Burgoyne to the Hawks.

Bombers coach Matthew Knights said 26-year-old Williams caught his eye playing for Box Hill almost seven years ago, and he's thrilled to have lured him to the club.

"Mark is a young man that we targeted and wanted to achieve out of this week," Knights said at a press conference on Friday.

"We're over the moon to have him at our football club.

"It's great to have someone of Mark's experience, particularly in big games and obviously achieving the ultimate last year and kicking five goals in the prelim and three in the grand final is something you don't do unless you've got some pretty solid qualities."

West Australian Williams played 111 games for Hawthorn from his 2002 debut and kicked 242 goals.

He was the Hawks' leading goalkicker in 2005 (63 goals) and 2006 (60), however he missed all but four rounds of the 2007 season and half of the 2009 season because of knee injuries.

Knights wasn't concerned it would be an ongoing problem.

"The most pleasing part was that he got back to play at Box Hill late in the year," he said.

"Hawthorn wouldn't have put him back on the ground if he wasn't going to be right."

Williams felt he had gone stale with the Hawks and was ready for a new challenge with Essendon, where he hoped to mentor some of their young indigenous players.

"I suppose it became a bit like that, with (Lance) Franklin and (Jarryd) Roughead and (Cyril) Rioli coming through, so coming down here I'm getting around some of the younger boys and helping them out," he said.

"They've got a good indigenous base here and with my leadership qualities I suppose I can come down and help some of the young boys out.

"I do feel like my best footy is ahead of me, I want to come here and rejuvenate.

"Essendon is on the way up, I want to come here and play my role in the side and do what Matt expects of me and hopefully have a successful year."

As well as his own goalkicking prowess, Knights said Williams' experience, creativity and x-factor were obvious attractions.

"I expect him to play a number of roles in the forward line, complementing our young, bigger-type players," Knights said.

"Mark's a natural goalkicker but we like the creativity he has to be able to set up other people.

"I watched Mark play at Box Hill six or seven years ago now and liked the way he went about his footy ... the way he converts and creates things out of nothing."

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