Stuart Dew is favourite for Adelaide Crows coaching job, Sydney Swans won’t stand in his way
THE Sydney Swans won’t stand in Stuart Dew’s way if the Adelaide Crows come calling after sacking senior coach Brenton Sanderson.
Sydney
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SYDNEY coach John Longmire would be understanding if understudy Stuart Dew broke his contract to leave the AFL club.
Dew is the firm favourite to be appointed Adelaide’s new coach following the shock sacking of Brenton Sanderson.
A tick over 11 months ago, Dew signed a three-year contract extension to remain an assistant coach at the Swans instead of following Paul Roos to Melbourne.
Longmire suggested there would be no pressure from the Swans to honour that deal, should Dew covet a top job at another club.
“A senior coach (position) is different to an assistant coach’s role,” Longmire said on Thursday, when asked if Sydney would try to stop Dew from joining the Crows.
But Longmire said there had been no discussion about the topic, and that Friday night’s preliminary final had everyone’s full attention.
“He’s doing a fantastic job with us,” Longmire said.
“We’re really pleased with what he’s doing and his role has developed again this year, which has been fantastic.
“He knows his football inside out.
“His focus, as mine is, is purely on the preliminary final.
“What happens in the future, will pan out down the track.”
When asked about what impact Dew’s departure would have on the club if he leaves in the next fortnight, Longmire said he didn’t “deal much in what-ifs, buts and maybes”.
Dew, who won premierships with both Port Adelaide and Hawthorn in a 206-game career, has become a man in demand since helping Longmire steer the Swans to a flag in 2012.
The Power life member’s name was bandied about by some pundits when coach Matthew Primus was sacked by his old club that year, but Dew did not throw his hat in the ring.
In 2013, he was courted by Melbourne to be Roos’ successor.
It was an enticing prospect given Dew started his coaching career under Roos, but he said at the time he timing wasn’t quite right.
Originally published as Stuart Dew is favourite for Adelaide Crows coaching job, Sydney Swans won’t stand in his way