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Off-contract Suns staff face anxious wait

New Gold Coast Stuart Dew will settle on his coaching panel as soon as possible, with a host of off-contract assistants waiting to learn their fate.

Sturt Dew
New Gold Coast Suns coach Stuart Dew has decisions to make about his 2018 coaching staff. (AAP)

New Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew says his first task it to lock in his assistants, with the current crop off contract and nervously pondering their futures at the AFL club.

Assistants Andy Lovell, Dean Solomon, Matthew Primus, Ashley Prescott, Melbourne-based Brett Munro, Matthew Lappin, Aaron Rogers and NEAFL coach Stephen Daniel are all off contract.

Daniel has already taken a job with local club Southport, but all others are waiting for Dew and club boss Mark Evans to inform them of their fate.

Dew was unveiled as the sacked Rodney Eade's replacement on Thursday and at that point was still introducing himself to players and staff.

While not declaring his hand, Dew acknowledged that decisions needed to be made fast.

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"I'm certainly respectful of people's situations and that's next on the list," he said.

"It's been a big 24 hours; I've spent a lot of time meeting everyone in the organisation and I look forward to having those conversations and planning."

An injured Primus was a sidelined Port Adelaide teammate when Dew won one of his two premierships as a player in 2004.

Solomon took charge following the axing of Rodney Eade, during which time Evans indicated he would be part of the club's future.

Describing himself as a "people person", the former Sydney assistant comes in high regard.

"I try to make people feel valued in the organisation and I want to develop people around me as well," Dew said.

Evans was football manager at Hawthorn when Dew won his second flag in a stand-out grand final performance.

"He's undoubtedly footy astute, but a key characteristic was his connection to people and banding them together to chase success," Evans said.

"He has a real commitment to drive high-performance culture, heavily influenced by Sydney Swans, Hawthorn and by Port Adelaide and the success they've had and way they've galvanised a playing group, coaching group and staff."


2 min read

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Source: AAP



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