‘She just doesn’t care’: Suns boss Stuart Dew unloads on journo’s ‘vendetta’, rejects sacking claim

Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew has unloaded on “unfounded” claims by a veteran journalist, claiming his players are “filthy”.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 18: Stuart Dew, Senior Coach of the Suns is seen during the 2023 AFL Round 14 match between the Carlton Blues and the Gold Coast Suns at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on June 18, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew has unloaded on “unfounded” claims by veteran journalist Caroline Wilson, claiming Suns players are “filthy” over reports he’s on the brink of being sacked.

On Monday night Wilson reported Dew’s days were “numbered” as Suns coach, with the Port Adelaide and Hawthorn premiership player facing the axe within weeks, and likely to be replaced by ex-Richmond coach Damien Hardwick.

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Wilson has said multiple times throughout the year she believes Dew will not be at the club in 2024, well before Saturday’s disappointing loss to Collingwood.

But Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson revealed on Tuesday’s edition of AFL 360 Dew had been told by Suns chief executive Mark Evans the claims weren’t true.

“The chairman of the Suns, Bob East, he’s on holidays in Vietnam and he sent a text to Dew just saying, you know, get on with it and you’ll be fine,” Robinson said.

“Dew - he was angry. And he’s not alone. He told me that the players, to quote his word, are filthy.

“A lot of the players wanted to speak out today. They wanted to contact media and say no, no, no, Stuart Dew’s our man. A lot of us have signed on at the club because Stuart Dew was reappointed. Dew said no, don’t worry about it.

Dew’s Suns were extremely disappointing against Carlton and Collingwood over the past three weeks. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“But he’s not happy. He thinks Wilson’s been running a vendetta against him for 18 months, trying to push (Alastair) Clarkson into that job last year, now it’s Damien Hardwick. As soon as Damien Hardwick left the Tigers it was, you know, Damien Hardwick to the Suns.

“So I don’t know if it’s personal between Wilson and Dew. As I sit here tonight, he’s bitterly disappointed.

“They were really poor on the weekend. And he knows that scrutiny’s gonna come. And the lack of effort and the pressure was just, you know, just wasn’t good enough.

“I heard Leigh Matthews on 3AW driving in tonight, saying that he’s been really impressed with the advancements that the Suns have made this year. But you know, a couple of those losses, the Carlton loss and the Collingwood loss. As I said last night to you, it invites pressure and invites speculation.”

His co-host Kath Loughnan pointed out: “it’s not just Caroline Wilson reporting about the Gold Coast Suns and Stuart Dew.

“I know what you’re talking about with those direct quotes. But the whole industry has been talking about the Gold Coast Suns the past 24 hours because of their performance against Collingwood.”

Gold Coast were thrashed by Collingwood. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Dew spoke on the record to the Herald Sun about Wilson’s report.

“Last year, (Alastair) Clarkson’s got my job, then he’s got Essendon’s job, Carlton’s job,” the former Sydney assistant told the Herald Sun.

“In the past 18 months she’s gone six or seven times about me and not once has she bothered to pick up the phone to me.

“She just doesn’t care about the person.”

During the 2022 season Suns players were unanimous in their public support for Dew and their backing helped him earn a two-year contract extension, taking him through until the end of 2024.

Therefore after Wilson’s report the Suns players were “filthy”, according to Dew.

“The players are filthy. They’re like, ‘you’re our coach mate, we’ve signed knowing you’re going to be our coach and we’re in it’,” Dew said.

“They asked me ‘what do you want to do about (the claims)’.

“I said boys don’t worry about it.”

Dew has a career record of 36-83 with one draw as Suns coach, with a best record of 10-12 last season.

The Suns are 7-8 and sit a win and percentage outside of the eight after Round 16.

Originally published as ‘She just doesn’t care’: Suns boss Stuart Dew unloads on journo’s ‘vendetta’, rejects sacking claim