Stuart Dew defends Gold Coast’s pre-season programming amid AFL season struggles

Suns coach Stuart Dew has defended the club’s pre-season program as Gold Coast limps towards the end of the season with little wins but a big injury toll.

SUNS coach Stuart Dew has defended the club’s pre-season program as Gold Coast limps towards the end of the season with little wins but a big injury toll.

Gold Coast started the season with three wins from their opening four games but go into Saturday’s Round 17 clash against Adelaide at Metricon Stadium on the back of 11 straight losses and scrambling to try and equal last year’s record of four victories.

The Suns trumpeted their pre-season campaign going into 2019 after spending time training in New Zealand before undergoing an amplified running program to help them get through games.

Wil Powell and Jack Martin this week joined a long injury list that also includes Ben Ainsworth, Jack Bowes, Sam Collins, Callum Ah Chee, Rory Thompson, Nick Holman and more.

The results aren’t there but Dew still believed the pre-season conditioning given to the group was right.

“We lost the last half last week (against Richmond) by eight points,” Dew said.

“By our data we are running games our far stronger than before. Injury list, a lot of clubs are battling that at the moment.

Suns coach Stuart Dew talks to his team during the round 16 AFL match between the Gold Coast Suns and the Richmond Tigers at Metricon Stadium on July 06, 2019 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Jono Searle/AFL Photos via Getty Images )

“I certainly think a lot of it has stemmed from our turnover and ball use and therefore we are chasing a little bit.

“That is not specific to second halves. A lot of guys have made some big strides in terms of the output they have been able to do week in and week out.

“In the next six to seven weeks is big for us in that regard. When we say our preseasons was big it was bin comparison to previous but certainly it was just that standard AFL level and we know that based on guys who have come from AFL clubs.”