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Suns to be conservative with Rowell: Dew
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6th July, 2020
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News
6th July, 2020
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Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew believes the “most sensible” option for injured revelation Matt Rowell is to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery.

Last year’s No.1 draft pick dislocated his right shoulder during the first quarter of Saturday’s AFL defeat to Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.

The Suns won’t be rushed into deciding whether the star 19-year-old is operated on, but Dew says the club will opt for a conservative approach.

“We want to make sure we look after him and make sure he has a long career, and not get blinded by the previous four weeks, as hard as that is,” Dew told Fox Footy’s AFL 360 on Monday.

“The conservative and probably most sensible given his age and position he plays (is to have surgery).

“He’s going to get in these positions a lot in terms of getting tackled and put to the ground.

“It’s really important we take a breath and do what’s best. Whatever’s best for Matt is going to be best for our football club because we clearly see him as a long-term player for our football club.”

Rowell had soared into Brownlow Medal contention after one of the all-time great starts to an AFL career.

The gun midfielder’s early dominance even led to betting agencies paying out on him collecting this year’s Rising Star award.

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Rowell has flown with the Suns to Wollongong, where the Gold Coast will spend the next two weeks and play Melbourne and Sydney.

Two-time Richmond premiership coach Damien Hardwick is in awe of how Rowell’s started his AFL career.

“I only saw a little bit of (Rowell) as an under-18 player – because we were no chance of getting him in the draft – but by God, he’s been a wonderful, wonderful talent to watch,” Hardwick told AFL 360.

© AAP

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