Shaw’s Suns job raises eyebrows

FORMER North Melbourne coach Rhyce Shaw will return to football in 2021, only months after his shock departure from the Kangaroos.

Shaw, 39, took leave for personal reasons after the club’s exhaustive three months spent in Gold Coast hubs before a mutual decision to sever ties with the Roos only one season into his three- year contract.

But Shaw will return to Gold Coast this year as the Suns’ head of development, reuniting with senior coach Stuart Dew after they spent eight years together at Sydney.

Dew was an assistant coach for the final six years of Shaw’s career in 2010 and they then formed a close friendship working under coach John Longmire together for the next two seasons.

Sources have confirmed the Shaw appointment, which has also raised e y e b r o w s given the c o a c h i n g purge that happened last year at the club that has cost the AFL $ 250m.

The Suns sacked senior assistant Dean Solomon, along with development coaches Ashley Prescott, Nick Malceski, Andrew Swallow and Justin Koschitzke last year.

Multiple football department staff including operations manager Scott Pyle were also shown the door.

Solomon had another three years remaining on his contract. Malceski had two years to run on his contract.

“Due to the economic impact of COVID- 19, every AFL football department is currently considering plans to support its playing group with a significant reduction in the football soft cap,” Suns football boss Jon Haines said at the time.

Some of those former assistants were of the belief the Suns would not be appointing a new development coach in 2021.

But regardless of the Suns’ finances, the Shaw signature will be celebrated for welcoming a popular figure back into the fold.

“Despite the challenges of the past year, my passion for football remains,” Shaw said when he left Arden Street on October 22.