AFL 2021: Kurt Tippett joins Rhyce Shaw at Gold Coast in new role
Former Swans and Crows star Kurt Tippett has joined Gold Coast in a part-time role for 2021, assisting the Suns’ ruck and forward groups.
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Former North Melbourne coach Rhyce Shaw’s return to football has been pushed back a week after state border restrictions complicated his move to the Gold Coast.
Shaw had been set to begin work as the Suns new head of development on Monday, but was unable to make it to Queensland in time for the club’s post-Christmas return to training.
Shaw will instead begin his new role next Monday, working to develop the Suns’ young list under head coach Stuart Dew.
Dew and Shaw worked together as assistant coaches at Sydney in 2017 and 2018, with Dew saying he was excited to be reunited after Shaw stepped down from his role at the Kangaroos last October.
“It’s a great opportunity for us,” Dew said.
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“When he became available we asked ourselves those questions and he wasn’t in our planning initially but when a person of that caliber becomes available we were able to shuffle a few things around and make sure that we could get him on board.
“I’m excited about it and I’m sure the players are too. He’s a great resource for our young players and it will be good for me too. He’s done the role for a year in the toughest year possible. So to get him back in the game, it’s where he belongs. He’s got too much to offer not to be in the game and we’re really happy that him and his family have chosen to move up.”
The Suns have also add Kurt Tippett to their coaching arsenal, with the former Adelaide and Sydney utility beginning a part-time role on Monday working with the Suns young rucks and key forwards.
“We’ve got some young, developing key forwards and I knew Kurt from my time in Sydney,” Dew said.
“He lives round the corner and I ran into him and I asked if he’s got a bit of spare time. Lucky for us he has and he’s going to be involved in a small way but we think he’s a great mentor for our young keys.”
Rising Star favourite remains on track to line up in Round 1 despite still not being in full contact training after having shoulder surgery last July.
Dew said the Suns had to hold the 19-year-old back but were hopeful he would make his way out of the rehabilitation group by the end of the month.
“He’s in good nick and we’re looking forward to getting him out there and we’ll just work back from Round 1 and make sure he’s cherry ripe,” Dew said.
WHY SHAW’S NEW JOB HAS RAISED EYEBROWS
– Sam Landsberger
Former North Melbourne coach Rhyce Shaw will return to football in 2021, only months after his shock departure from the Kangaroos.
Shaw, 39, took leave for personal reasons after the club’s exhaustive three months spent in Gold Coast hubs before a mutual decision to sever ties with the Roos only one season into his three-year contract.
But Shaw will return to Gold Coast this year as the Suns’ head of development, reuniting with senior coach Stuart Dew after spending eight years together at Sydney.
Dew was an assistant coach for the final six years of Shaw’s career in 2010 and they then formed a close friendship working under coach John Longmire together for the next two seasons.
Sources have confirmed the Shaw appointment, which has also raised eyebrows given the coaching purge that happened last year at the club that has cost the AFL $250 million.
The Suns sacked senior assistant Dean Solomon along with development coaches Ashley Prescott, Nick Malceski, Andrew Swallow and Justin Koschitzke in 2020.
Multiple football department staff including much-loved operations manager Scott Pyle were also shown the door.
Solomon had another three years remaining on his contract. Malceski had two years to run on his contract
“Due to the economic impact of COVID-19, every AFL football department is currently considering plans to support its playing group with a significant reduction in the football soft cap,” Suns football boss Jon Haines said at the time.
Some of those former assistants were of the belief the Suns would not be appointing a new development coach in 2021.
But regardless of the Suns’ finances, the Shaw signature will be celebrated for welcoming a popular figure back into the fold.
“Despite the challenges of the past year, my passion for football remains,” Shaw said when he left Arden St on October 22.
“The experiences I’ve had throughout my career developing young footballers to reach their potential has given me the greatest satisfaction and pride, and I hope to have the opportunity to contribute to this great game again in the future.
“For now, however, my focus is on taking time out, and I would ask that my privacy, and that of my family, continue to be respected at this time.”
Shaw’s passion for developing talent will be put to good use as he works with top-10 draft picks Elijah Hollands (No.7), Matt Rowell (No.1), Noah Anderson (No.2), Izak Rankine (No.3), Ben King (No.6) and Jack Bowes (No.10).
Brother Heath Shaw told the Herald Sun in November that “Rhyce didn’t get the support he needed” at the Roos.
“It wasn’t handled as well as we would have liked, but in the end, we got the result we wanted,” Heath said.
Shaw appeared drained in his post-match press conferences late in the season and was asked about his body language after the Round 18 loss to West Coast.
“I was dejected (in those interviews) because we’d lost a footy game and we haven’t had a great run,” Shaw said.
“I’m sorry if it came across too dejected, but I wear my heart on my sleeve and I’ll be me as much as I can.”
The next morning Shaw and football boss Brady Rawlings sacked 11 players in their exit meetings, which players have claimed lasted only a few minutes as minimal feedback was given.
Hawthorn’s four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson signalled a loud mental health warning for the coaching fraternity after the toll on Shaw was laid bare.
We have finalised our 2021 AFL coaching structure, with Rhyce Shaw joining the club as Head of Development.
— Gold Coast Suns (@GoldCoastSUNS) January 3, 2021
📰 https://t.co/YksuqvuJtX pic.twitter.com/aWcncSMQni
“I look at the list I made up earlier – Hirdy (James Hird), Bomber (Mark Thompson), Bails (Dean Bailey), Walshy (Phil Walsh), Laids (Dean Laidley), Spud Frawley, Pykey (Don Pyke), now Rhyce Shaw and there is probably others too who have done it tough,” Clarkson said.
“In our industry and our country because it’s a small fish bowl not a large fish bowl, any coach who does it particularly tough, he has to carry that in his public life more so than what a coach would have to do in a much bigger market like America or Europe.
“That carries an enormous strain for many in our industry and I’ve got concerns given the high quality of all of those lads I’ve mentioned because some have lost their lives and not directly as a result of coaching but some of it had been stress-related.
“It’s sad what happens to such decorated people in our game.
“I’m concerned and I think the game should be concerned because it’s an enormous burden to carry and we need to be doing something as individual clubs and individual coaches too.
“I think we’ve always looked after everyone else in the club and put everyone else in the club before ourselves and maybe it’s time to take stock ourselves to sort out what our work flow is and our schedule because it’s now getting to a point where we are seeing real casualties out of our industry and I don’t think it’s a good thing.”
Shaw coached 29 AFL games (10-19) taking over from Brad Scott as caretaker coach during the 2019 campaign.
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