‘No regrets’: Cochrane says Dew contract extension was right call
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Former Gold Coast Suns chairman Tony Cochrane says he has no regrets about recontracting Stuart Dew last year, insisting Dew was the right man – at the time – to deliver the Suns a breakthrough finals appearance.
One of Cochrane’s last calls in more than six years in the top role was to hand Dew a two-year contract extension in July last year. But, almost as soon as the ink was dry, the Suns fell into another slump, one that has continued this season, leading to Dew’s sacking on Tuesday by new club chairman Bob East.
Cochrane, an experienced businessman best known for morphing V8 Supercars into a force, told this masthead on Wednesday the Dew extension was appropriate.
Former Suns president Tony Cochrane says he has no regrets about recontracting Stuart Dew last year.Credit: Glenn Hunt
“I have no regrets whatsoever about last year. We felt that he had done enough last year to deserve a contract extension and the whole club was behind that decision. We were very hopeful of making the finals this year,” he said.
Cochrane denied industry speculation the Suns had approached Alastair Clarkson to test his interest in replacing Dew last year. Four-time Hawthorn premiership coach Clarkson, then having a year off, later signed with North Melbourne.
The Suns’ lack of progress this season prompted the club to make the call on Dew, giving the Suns clear air to pursue former Richmond coach Damien Hardwick.
The Suns insist Hardwick’s availability did not play a part in Dew’s sacking, which they said was evidence-based. They said they had not spoken to Hardwick during Dew’s tenure and would not comment on whether they wanted a proven coach to replace Dew.
“This has now allowed us to have some clear air to look at next steps, and that’s a really important part of governance in any business to ensure that we set about a good process, a good system, good governance around the selection of our next senior coach,” East said.
At the same point in 2022, the Suns were 11th with eight wins and a percentage of 108.9 compared to 13th this season with seven wins and 92.5 per cent.
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