Stuart Dew defends Gold Coast’s pre-season in the wake of growing injury list and 11 straight losses

Gold Coast labelled their pre-season the toughest in club history and boldly declared they had never been fitter. Now with a growing injury list and an 11 game losing streak, Stuart Dew has been forced to defend their off-season program.

Stuart Dew is refusing to blame fitness for the Suns’ struggles. Picture: AAP Images

Stuart Dew insists the Suns got their pre-season right, saying fatigue from the extra chasing his men had to do because of poor ball use was behind the lapses of effort within games.

Dew and football manager Jon Haines were unsatisfied with the players’ fitness and resilience during their first year on the Coast and parted company with former fitness chief Justin Cordy at the end of the season.

They heralded the first pre-season under new conditioning coach Alex Rigby as the hardest in the club’s history and declared on the eve of this season they had never been fitter.

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But after a solid start to the season, the Suns are once again unable to produce consistent four-quarter performances and have now slumped to 11 straight losses.

Fade-outs had been a growing concern up until last week’s shocker against Richmond when they were flat from the opening bounce and let the Tigers knock up 103 points in the first half.

Dew insists fitness was not the reason and had promised his side would bounce back against the Crows at Metricon Stadium.

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The injury list is also a major concern and features some of the biggest names at the club including Jack Martin, Jack Bowes, Rory Thompson, Ben Ainsworth, Callum Ah Chee and Wil Powell.

Others who would be in the side if they were fit are Sam Collins, Nick Holman and Aaron Young while No. 3 draft pick Izak Rankine was expected to play senior footy this year.

But Dew has total confidence they got their off-season program right and said while it may have been the toughest the Suns had ever completed, it was industry standard.

Stuart Dew is refusing to blame fitness for the Suns’ struggles. Picture: Getty Images

“I think we did. By our date we are running games out far stronger than before and the injury list, a lot of clubs are battling that at the moment,’’ he said.

“I think a lot of it stems from turnovers and ball use, therefore we are chasing a little bit and that is not specific for second halves.

“A lot of guys have made some big strides in terms of the output they are able to do week in, week out.’’

Rankine’s re-signing this week was a major win for the club but it immediately drew attention to the other two picks from last year, Jack Lukosius and Ben King.

Gold Coast had hoped to announce the three players as a package deal but it now appears King and Lukosius will wait until next season before committing.

But Dew said the club was comfortable with where they sat with their two young stars.

“We don’t want to sell anything, we want them to make their own decision based on what they see around the club,’’ he said.