The Gold Coast Suns have selected Sydney’s Stuart Dew as the man to hopefully take them from irrelevant rabble to top of the table.
News broke on Wednesday night that Dew would be the next coach of the Gold Coast Suns, and the club officially confirmed the news on Thursday morning.
“I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and look forward to moving to the Gold Coast with my family and getting stuck into the challenge ahead,” Dew said.
“I would like to acknowledge the Sydney Swans for the development and experience they have given to me to help me secure this position.
“In particular, I’d like to thank John Longmire, Tom Harley, Dean Moore and Andrew Ireland for the education and assistance that they have provided to me.
“I will move to the Gold Coast as soon as possible and I look forward to meeting our players and staff and working with them as we develop a clear pathway to future success for our fans in the coming years.
“My experience tells me that the success we all crave comes on the back of genuine buy in and commitment from all and a sustained selfless team approach, that’s where I want to take the Gold Coast Suns.”
He faces an uphill battle, but the same could be said of nine in ten new senior coaches when they take on their first job.
From my perspective, Dew is an excellent choice for Gold Coast, and certainly the best option that was available of the untried coaches in the competition.
A mature recruit would’ve been excellent and the Suns did venture partway down this path, making overtures to both North Melbourne’s Brad Scott and Port Adelaide’s Ken Hinkley.
However in the absence of a proven prospect being available, the Suns needed to go with a new face but have made a great choice.
Dew is clearly highly rated in the industry, having been linked to both the Melbourne and Brisbane senior jobs in recent years.
He’s been part of a successful team at the Sydney Swans for several years now so has plenty of experience around what it takes to reach and win finals.
On top of that he can bring a unique perspective on working in the northern states and will have intimate personal experiences of the challenges clubs face there and how to combat them.
Anthony
Roar Pro
Good choice for reasons stated in article. Dew should know what it takes to win. He has won premierships and/or minor premierships as player/coach at the the clubs he has been at. He was a premiership player with two clubs. Port (2004), Hawks (2008). Ports were also minor premiers (2002, 2003, 2004) while he was there. Coaching. As strategy/midfield coach at the swans, seems to have excelled. Look at the Swans performance in past few seasons. Minor Premiers and Grand Finalists in 2016.
Anthony
Roar Pro
A bird in the hand, is better than two in the bush.
Seano
Roar Rookie
I hope he lets they players go out in surfers. You are never going to keep players unless they have local Girlfriends and they can't meet any if they are locked up at home.
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
The AFL Offseason by Dr Suess
Pieman
Guest
Stuart Dew will be a great coach for the suns, he starts from nowhere with the suns but he will get them up and about next year. He is the right man for the job. I am personally spewing we didnt kick mr ed and nathan out and have a real coach like Stuart Dew in. You watch....the suns will be in the finals only just next year while Collinwood will again miss....
Thomas Roker
Guest
On the contrary, Dew played for Port when Clarkson was assistant coach under Mark Williams, then played a couple of years under Clarko with the Hawks. I think it is fair to say that Dew has coaching tree links to three Premiership coaches and has served his apprenticeship. The era of club favourite sons - Ratten, Voss, Hird, Buckley - going on to coach soon after retirement is done. Jesaulenko, Walls and Worsfold are the outliers in a long succession of former club greats going on to coach the same club to great heights, although the former pair are from the VFL generation and the latter is no longer coaching at the club he captained to premierships. We are now in the Level 4 coaching era and Luke Beveridge is case in point to show how a club's culture can deliver results. Hardwick comes from the Sheeds coaching tree and we haven't the last of his mentees, while Malthouse and Matthews will be credited with several former players cum coaches, and Clarkson will catch up sooner than later.
Michael Pallaris
Roar Rookie
As a Swans fan, I'll miss you, Dew.
Birdman
Guest
Dew is not one of Clarko's apprentices but he will no doubt have his ear given their shared history at Port and Hawthorn. Clearly the best of the available assistants although I'm surprised Ratts is still on the shelf.
XI
Roar Guru
Considering that Horse has only been the coach for six seasons that seems a little impatient. It's not like he's been stuck behind an unsuccessful or inconsistent coach for six years.
Gecko
Guest
Dew has been working in elite environments but has he actually had senior coaching experience at any level? I think that's key. Mark Neeld had been working in elite environments.
Gecko
Guest
Trying to shape the Suns rabble into a selfless team, he'll soon be Stewing Stue in the blues.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Love the analogy Birdman, and it is bang on. In terms of another Labor quote, Horse needs to piss or get off the potty. Dew obviously got tired of waiting and has opted for the accessibility toilet instead. Everyone in the AFL knows the Suns are a basket case and I doubt Dew's career will suffer if he can't turn them into a finals side. Good luck to him, he will need it.
truetigerfan
Guest
Agree with all that, SportsFan. A difficult task but needs to be given his head/free rein. He has a wealth of experience at a number of strong clubs. I wish him well.
Justin Mitchell
Roar Guru
I'm pretty happy to wait until this is officially announced by both teams, before jumping the gun. There's been a few instances this year of premature eja.. you get the point.
Birdman
Guest
sick of waiting for Horse to set out a Kirribilli Agreement - good move for him and the Suns.
SportsFanGC
Roar Guru
Personally I think it was a good choice. There are no quality experienced coaches available and Dew has been working in very elite environments with a strong culture of success and excellence at his past two Clubs in Hawthorn and Sydney. Time will tell how the appointment works out but he should be given a 3 plus 2 deal (3 years guaranteed with a trigger for a further 2 should KPI’s be met in the first 3 years). Additionally Dew should be given carte blanch on the Assistant Coaches presently at the Club. Whether he wants to retain some of them or none of them Mark Evans and Tony Cochrane need to allow Dew to put is imprimatur on both the coaches and playing group. The Suns have a strong hand in the upcoming draft (coming off the back of a strong draft in 2016) and two proud young Captains so the building blocks are there. The wheeling and dealing in the next two months is very important to the next 2-3 years for the Suns and Dew.
XI
Roar Guru
This seems an odd career move for Dew. Going to Carlton or Melbourne would make sense since those are significant clubs and turning them around would set you up for life. At the Suns there doesn't seem to be anywhere near as much upside and it will be very easy to fail and lose any chance of being a head coach in the League again.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Did you consider "Dew drops at Gold Coast"?
Josh
Expert
Josh
Expert
AKA me.