Dew’s staying calm over Lynch chatter
STUART Dew says he won’t be falling out with premiership teammate Damien Hardwick over the Tigers’ coach’s public flirtation with star forward Tom Lynch.
Dew, who will be a guest panellist at News Corp’s AFL season launch lunch on March 20, deftly sidestepped what loomed as the first coachversus-coach stoush of the season when he said his 2004 Port Adelaide teammate’s comments were irrelevant.
Fellow panellist, Lions coach Chris Fagan, walked head first into a blue with Adelaide’s Don Pyke during his first year in charge of Brisbane last year when he spoke publicly about his interest in Crows midfielder Charlie Cameron. Cameron went on to join the Lions in the off-season.
It is understood there was also tension between Hardwick and North Melbourne coach Brad Scott over the Roos’ pursuit of Dustin Martin.
Hardwick, who steered the Tigers to a drought-breaking premiership last year, became the first coach to publicly express his interest in the out-ofcontract Suns skipper when he declared he would love to secure the restricted free agent and would make room for his massive salary next year.
Lynch is set to receive offers of up to $1.5 million per year from several Victorian clubs.
It is understood Richmond list manager Blair Hartley rang the Suns to clear the air but Dew said he was not the slightest bit worried and felt no need to respond.
“We don’t really need to. It’s outside noise to us, whether it’s from another coach, other teams, media, we’re not concerned,’’ he said.
“It happened all last year, it’ll happen all next year. Sometimes I’ll have to deal with it, sometimes I won’t.
“To be honest, it comes and goes in one day. It’s a little bit irrelevant.’’
Dew was more concerned with an injury report on Sean Lemmens, who tore his hamstring in last week’s JLT series victory over Geelong in Townsville and will miss round one.
Key forward Peter Wright has also been ruled out of Sunday’s clash with the Lions with a calf injury he suffered last week but Dew remains hopeful he will be ready for the premiership season opener.
“We haven’t pushed him just yet,” Dew said.
“We’ve held it back a bit given it’s pre-season. Had it been in-season we would have shuffled him through a bit more.
“We’ll give him another week then ramp him up and see where he sits.
“Previous to that he’d done everything. He’s prepared to go (for round one).”
Gold Coast will welcome back co-captain Steven May and midfielder David Swallow.
The Lions will unveil star recruit Luke Hodge while reigning club champion and All Australian Dayne Zorko will also make his first appearance of the season on Sunday at Southport.