Veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson is not backing away from her report that Stuart Dew’s job at the Gold Coast is in trouble.
Wilson reported last week that many within the Suns feel the time is right for a new coach and that it could come as soon as this month.
However, the report was naturally met with strong rebuttals from club CEO Mark Evans and from Dew himself.
Wilson stands by her comments, doubling down on Monday night.
“I think there are more relationships that have soured a little more than I realised when I reported last Monday night,” Wilson told Footy Classified.
“There’s been a loss of faith to a degree in Stuart Dew from more senior people at the club than I had realised and a bit vice-versa.
“There is a very strong at the club, and obviously at the AFL, although believe me, this is not just AFL driven, that the bleeding has to be stemmed.
“The club needs a strong authoritative front man that can come in the way Brad Scott has at Essendon.
“I think the AFL have had doubts about Stuart Dew for a long time and I think the Suns stuck by him last year when several at the AFL were thinking Alastair Clarkson was the answer.”
Wilson also hit back at reporters, including Herald Sun chief Mark Robinson, suggesting her news last week only came from one “rat in the ranks”.
“It’s also simplifying it because I spoke to quite a few people before I reported what I did,” she said.
“If there was detail I gave that have been squared back to one person, then that would be a really inaccurate assessment, because it came from all over.
“From far lower down in the footy club than people might think and from far higher up outside the footy club.
“I don’t have a vendetta against Stuart Dew and I’m sorry that he’s clearly very upset and I don’t blame him. But that’s job, senior coaching is tough.”
The Suns host St Kilda on Saturday afternoon after going down in a spirited loss to Port Adelaide last weekend.