'Consume nothing': Suns coach on contract 'pressure'

Gold Coast Suns coach Stuart Dew has responded to questions about his future with the club as AFL teams make moves for the coming seasons.

Hawthorn announced their succession plan for Alastair Clarkson to leave after 2022 to make way for Sam Mitchell to take the head coach role from 2023.

Collingwood are also searching for a new head coach after Nathan Buckley stepped down this season.

Dew's contract with the Suns is up at the end of next season, but the coach said he's not allowing himself to think too far ahead or read into the speculation around his future.

"If you think about (the coaching pressure), you probably get caught up in it," Dew told SEN.

"The pressure comes from the responsibility to your players and club because if you read and absorb everything, you can lose track and in all honestly, you can get caught up and think, 'Why are they writing that'.

"If you consume nothing in a week, the clarity and headspace in the job that you're paid to do is different.

"You can consume a lot – it's easy when the boys play well to jump on (social media) when everyone is saying (good things), but when you don't (win) it's (bad) there as well.

"I was never a big consumer (of media as a player) and it's even less now. You have to have the positive energy, everyone is looking at you. As leaders of a footy club, you need to absorb that."

Dew is feeling the heat trying to lift the struggling Suns currently sitting on the bottom half of the ladder.

Under Dew, Gold Coast have finished second-last in 2018, earned the wooden spoon in 2019 and finished 14th last year, as they've focused on recruiting and blooding young players.

In 2021 they sit 14th again, but last week achieved a huge milestone, defeating the reigning premiership-winners Richmond in a stunning upset.

Finals footy is not out of the question for Gold Coast yet either, and Dew is relying on results to do all the talking on his coaching ability.

"I've never really thought about contracts," Dew said.

"I've thought if you're there to do what you need to do, then that will take care of itself.

"We've won five games, if we win three more and get to eight, that figure may look good but it's more about the way we play.

"We have a tough run coming up no doubt, it's GWS next and then the top three teams."

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