Gold Coast have backed head coach Stuart Dew with a new two-year deal on the back of an impressive 2022 season for the side.
Entering 2022 under immense pressure, both Dew and the Suns have exceeded expectation so far this season with a range of impressive performances and results leaving the Suns convinced that Dew is the perfect man to lead the side in the future.
The season has seen a rise of immense talent within the side which has shone through during their impressive recent performances.
In the absence of key forward Ben King, the Gold Coast forward line has been one of the feel-good stories of the season with resurgent forward Levi Casboult impressing. While new recruit Mabior Chol, Malcolm Rosas, Izak Rankine, and Joel Jeffrey have all taken their games to new levels.
The Suns currently sit in 11th place with a 7-8 record, and are still in the race for finals and appear on course of their best ever season, with 12th spot being the club's best finish in history.
“I’m immensely proud to coach the Gold Coast SUNS and I think with the help of some fantastic people around me we’ve laid some exciting foundations to build on in the coming years,” Dew said to club media.
“We have had an unprecedented level of commitment, support and dedication from everyone involved to create a connection to a journey that people believed in. I love this club and the game, and it gives me all the love back.
“We want to be a club that our members and supporters can be proud of. The support we have received from our community has been nothing short of incredible and will always be valued by myself and the playing group.
“It’s our goal to chase down ‘firsts’ for this football club. A first AFL finals campaign, winning our first AFL final and of course chasing our first Premiership.
“The job is not done, and the best is yet to come.”
In his fifth season as coach, Dew's connection with the playing list and the brand of football being played has given him the backing of chairman Tony Cochrane, CEO Mark Evans and the Gold Coast board.
“We’ve had real clarity from the start of this season on what our expectations were as a football club and our belief in our Senior Coach Stuart Dew,” Cochrane said.
“Stuey has worked tirelessly alongside a number of others to create an environment that sets our players, and this football club, up for success both on and off the field and we look forward to him taking us forward on that journey, as we continue to build a strong culture and a winning environment.”
The Suns will face Richmond on Saturday afternoon at Metricon Stadium (4:35 pm AEST), with the opportunity to close the gap between the top eight sides on offer for Dew's side as the season enters its last seven weeks.