Dew has been let go with a year to go on his contract as Gold Coast almost certainly prepare to make a play for three-time Richmond premiership coach Damien Hardwick. It comes less than a month since cross-town rivals, rugby league’s Gold Coast Titans, axed coach Justin Holbrook so they could hire premiership-winner Des Hasler.

The 43-year-old Dew’s axing comes just six days after Suns chief executive Mark Evans stepped in to stand alongside Dew at his weekly press conference.

Evans offered a qualified defence of the under-fire coach following Gold Coast’s horror 78-point loss in a sold-out home game against Collingwood on July 1.

He also denied any approach had been made to Hardwick following the former Tigers coach’s exit from Punt Rd in May.

“I’ve said time and time again, Stuey’s our coach, contracted for this year and next year. If he does a good job, he’ll be contracted well into the future,” Evans said.

“All I can say is that he’s got my support to get on with the job, manage our players and staff as well as we can.”

Dew, who took charge of Gold Coast in 2018, led the Suns to a club-best, 10-win season in 2022 and things looked promising when they entered the bye at 6-6.

But heavy losses to Carlton and the Magpies, split by a win over Hawthorn, halted any momentum they had following memorable victories over Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs in Darwin.

Dew was appointed Gold Coast’s third full-time coach following Guy McKenna and Rodney Eade’s stints with the club that entered the AFL in 2011.

Suns assistant Steven King is expected to fill in as interim coach for the remainder of the season.

Hardwick departed the Tigers in May after 14 years at the helm and has spent time travelling.

However, the 50-year-old confirmed last month he was determined to return to coaching following a break.

“I’d be lying if I said I couldn’t see myself doing it,” Hardwick told the Dyl and Friends podcast.

“I love it. I miss it. I’ve been out for two weeks and I wanted to miss it, if that made sense.”