Stuart Dew has been sacked as coach of the Gold Coast Suns despite being contracted until the end of 2024. Channel 7's Tom Browne broke the news on Twitter on Tuesday morning after Caroline Wilson previously alluded to the breakup on Footy Classified.
Pressure was building on Dew internally following back-to-back losses to Collingwood at home by 78 points and Port Adelaide away by 33 points.
Collingwood and Port sit first and second on the ladder with just four combined losses for the season and Port haven't lost a game since round 3, but clearly these factors were no excuse for the losses according to the decision-makers at the Gold Coast.
Dew took over the role at the start of 2018 and coached 121 games for 36 wins, 84 losses and one draw. He coached the most games, the most wins, and had the best winning percentage at 29.8% in the Gold Coast Suns' short history. The Suns' 12th place finish in 2022 under Dew is also the equal best ladder position in their history.
Dew's club-best coaching resume proved to be unsatisfactory for Suns chairman Bob East, who fronted the media alongside CEO Mark Evans on Tuesday to officially announce Dew's sacking.
"I want to make it absolutely crystal clear that we are unashamedly holding this club to account at a very high level... There is a clear gap between where we currently sit and where our expectations lie, and the senior coach selection process will be solely designed to close that gap."
The dismissal came just six days after Evans backed Dew as the Suns coach of the present and future by saying "He's got my support to get on with the job, manage our players and staff as well as we can" among other encouraging comments.
Six days is a long time in football, and despite the public backing of Dew by Mark Evans less than one week prior, he was adamant that Dew was not the man to lead Gold Coast to the next level.
"I'll make it clear. We think we've got a great playing list. We think we've got some experts in our football department, and we think we need a new senior coach to actually go to the level we need to get to."
The powers that be at the Gold Coast made this decision despite opting to extend Dew's contract until the end of 2024 just 53 weeks ago in addition to the public support they showed for him six days before the sacking.
Three-time Richmond premiership coach Damien Hardwick looms as the prime candidate to replace Dew if he wants the job, but Evans insisted he has not spoken to Hardwick and the process will start in "due time".
Hardwick told Dylan Buckley he still has a passion and desire to coach again on the Dyl and Friends podcast.
"I'd be lying if I said I couldn't see myself doing it. I love it, I miss it... At some stage I will probably step back in, when that is, I'm not too sure."
Steven King - former Geelong Cats ruckman and captain - has been named as the Suns interim coach.
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