LEAKY SUNS SINK COACH

In the end, it wasn’t wins or losses that did Stuart Dew in as coach of Gold Coast.

He was the longest-serving coach in the relatively brief history of the club and his 30 per cent winning record through 121 games compares favourably to foundation coach Guy McKenna (27 per cent) and Rodney Eade (25.3).

No, it was the Suns’ ladder position that ultimately led to his sacking as coach on Tuesday morning.

Since taking over in 2018, the Suns have finished in 17th, 18th, 14th, 16th and 12th.

Following last week’s 33-point loss to Port Adelaide, the Suns are 13th on the ladder and staring firmly at yet another bottom-six finish in a season they hoped to make the finals or at the very least just miss out.

And that’s what forced new club chairman Bob East to move hastily upon his return from overseas on Monday.

“There is clear gap (between) where we currently sit and where our expectations lie,” East said on Tuesday.

After back-to-back convincing wins over the Western Bulldogs and Adelaide at their second home ground in Darwin, the Suns entered the bye with a 6-6 record, just out of the eight on percentage and with high hopes of making the finals for the first time.

But apart from a strong win as expected over lowly Hawthorn, what followed were thrashings at the hands of Carlton, Collingwood and the Power.

In each of those games, the Suns were blown apart in one quarter of football, with the Collingwood defeat the most disappointing of all given it came in front of a capacity crowd at Heritage Bank Arena.

After that game, Dew’s future became clouded and then last Saturday night, a nine-goal-to-one third quarter from Port sealed his fate.

Like previous weeks, the Suns simply lacked the capacity to stop an opposition run-on.

It was felt that a team stacked with high draft picks and emerging stars such as Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson, Jack Lukosius, Ben King, Touk Miller, Charlie Ballard and Ben Ainsworth should be making large strides up the ladder and be in serious contention for the finals.

“This time last year we were better placed … this year there feels like there’s a gap between us and the best in the competition,” Suns chief executive Mark Evans said.

Despite protestations to the contrary, it seems that the Suns made this move when they did, despite Dew being under contract until the end of 2024, to give themselves the best chance to lure three-time

Richmond

Hardwick stepped away from the Tigers last month in the belief he had taken the club as far as he could and that a fresh voice was needed.

But as he recently confirmed on the Dyl & Friends podcast, the urge to get back into coaching remains strong.

Away from the Melbourne bubble and taking over a talented list with more high draft picks to come in November, Gold Coast shapes as the ideal challenge for Hardwick –and no doubt the AFL, which still helps underwrite the club, would be overjoyed at the prospect.

Media reports on Tuesday suggested Hardwick, who is holidaying in Europe, would take the call from the Suns.

Experienced hands Nathan Buckley and Don Pyke are likely to be approached, and while they are unlikely to be tempted, Ken Hinkley and Chris Scott would also be on the club’s wishlist.

Steven King will be interim Gold Coast coach for the rest of the season.

200 GAMES – COACH

LUKE BEVERIDGE

WESTERN BULLDOGS

250 GAMES RORY SLOANE ADELAIDE

200 GAMES

ZACH MERRETT

ESSENDON

LACHIE WHITFIELD

GWS GIANTS

150 GAMES

JORDAN DE GOEY

COLLINGWOOD

JACOB WEITERING CARLTON

100 GAMES GRYAN MIERS GEELONG