Stuart Dew signs three-year deal with Sydney, turning back on Melbourne assistant coach job

MELBOURNE'S coaching succession plan is back to square one after Paul Roos' chosen successor Stuart Dew opted to stay with Sydney.

Power and Hawthorn premiership player Stuart Dew at the SCG wearing the colours of his amateur club Salisbury. Picture: Alan Place

MELBOURNE'S coaching succession plan is back to square one after Paul Roos' chosen successor Stuart Dew opted to stay with Sydney.

The Swans announced today that Dew had re-signed for three years as midfield and strategy coach under John Longmire.

The Swans fought hard to keep Dew after he emerged as Melbourne's choice to work as understudy to new coach Paul Roos.

Melbourne contacted the Swans twice this week requesting Dew be let go from the final year of his coaching contract.

The Demons wanted Dew to be the club’s senior assistant coach, with the promise of succeeding Swans premiership coach Roos in two or three years.

DEPARTMENT OF TRADES

Another leading contender for the assistant role, Adam Simpson, is off the table after winning the job as senior coach of West Coast.

Former Geelong premiership skipper Cameron Ling, who this week agreed to join North Melbourne as a leadership consultant, ruled himself out as Roos’ senior assistant last month saying he wanted to coach at some stage but was “keen for another year in media”.

Huge blow for Dees with Stuart Dew signing a three year deal as assistant at Swans. He was the Dees main man post-Roos in succession plan

— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) October 11, 2013

Dew will assume the role formerly held by Leigh Tudor, who was this week snapped up as an assistant by the Kangaroos.

Longmire said he was delighted Dew had committed to the Swans.

“Stu has been a valuable member of our coaching team since 2010 and is someone we rate really highly,” he said.

“We understand that there were other club’s interested in Stu, but to have him recommit to the club is a strong show of faith in the Swans football program.

"We're glad Stuey has confidence that the Swans will continue to assist his development as a coach."

It is a meteoric rise for 2008 Hawthorn premiership hero Dew, who has only been an assistant coach since 2010.

Dew played in premierships with Hawthorn and Port Adelaide over a 206-game AFL career and has been an assistant coach at Sydney since 2010.

Sydney rates his football mind but also believes he needs several more seasons of experience before he is ready for a senior job.