31. Stuart Dew [Archive]

mick

15 Dec 2007, 15:26

Stuart Dew
#31
Games: 180
Born: August 18, 1979
Height: 183cm Weight: 90kg + A couple of jousting sticks.
Position: Defender, Forward

Taken from the Age 24 November 2007
http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Rioli-Dew-join-AFL-Hawks/2007/11/24/1195753356045.html

The coach was very keen to get Stuart on board because, with what is the youngest list in the competition, we're just conscious of bringing these young guys through," said Hawks personnel manager Chris Pelchen.

"While it is a risk and probably a slight deviation from our strategic model, there's no doubt about that, the fact is that Stuart with his experience of playing at the highest level ... we think it's a worthwhile risk."

Dew was renowned for his kicking for goal, particularly from outside 50m, and he will also work closely with Hawthorn's young forwards.

"There was a great challenge put down to him from a fitness point of view, because Stuart had certainly lost his fitness," Pelchen said.

"He's still got a long way to go, so we'll put him on a very, very strict program.

"He's almost like an assistant coach out on the ground for us, because he will be our second-oldest player at the club."

The Hawks certainly are going into this with their eyes wide open - Pelchen, fitness coach Andrew Russell and assistant coach Geoff Morris also worked with Dew at Port.

mick

15 Dec 2007, 15:28

The Age 25th November:

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/clarkson-pulls-rank-over-dew/2007/11/24/1195753374114.html

THERE was a very good reason why Hawthorn required more than the allotted two minutes to consider how best to invest its third and final selection, pick 45, in yesterday's national draft — an at-times fiery internal debate that had continued for weeks had to be resolved first.

Coach Alastair Clarkson, with the youngest list in the game and high expectations to control, wanted to buy experience with the pick. Stuart Dew, the 28-year-old former Port Adelaide premiership flanker blessed with a left-foot kick as long and straight as an outback highway, was his choice.

Many others around Clarkson, among them Chris Pelchen, head of the club's recruiting and list management, thought otherwise. There was, for example, 18-year-old Dan McKenna to consider, McKenna being a key-position player out of Gippsland thought capable of addressing the club's long-standing need for a tall defender.

And so when the moment to make the call arrived, recruiting manager Gary Buckenara asked for more time. Two minutes later, as the extension expired, what emerged was Dew's name and the first sign that the Hawks, or at least Clarkson, consider themselves close enough to contention to recruit for the now.

McKenna went to Geelong five selections later. He is unlikely to play league football next year but the premier doesn't need him to and he could still be with the club in a decade. Dew, the first of five players recycled this year, probably has fewer than 50 games left in his body but can give them to his new club immediately. At least once he is in shape. When Dew, who is not tall by football standards at 182 centimetres, spoke with Clarkson several months ago about the prospect of an end to the retirement he announced last year, he weighed 125 kilograms. He had not long returned from America, where he and former girlfriend, the actress Teresa Palmer, had decided to take her career.

Quickly he was down to 116 kilograms but today he is still 104. Admittedly, people involved with Dew's last season with Port remember him playing at 107 but the Hawks want him to shed a further 10 kilograms over the remainder of the pre-season.

"There is no doubt that it's a calculated risk to bring Stuart back into AFL footy; he's had 12 months off, he chose to travel overseas this year and it would be fair to say he's got a way to go (with his fitness)," Pelchen said later.

"He is still just over 100 kilograms but having said that, we've been monitoring his fitness over the last couple of months and he's already shed a lot of weight. He's working three and four sessions a day.

"So it's a risk but it is also acknowledgement of the fact that in 2008 we will have the youngest list in the competition for the third consecutive year, we've had three guys over the age of 30 retire in the off-season and there will be only one player older than Stuart on our list next year. In those circumstances we see the risk as worth it."

mick

15 Dec 2007, 15:49

Herald-Sun 29th November, 2007

http://heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,22840048%255E19742,00.html
HAWTHORN football director Jason Dunstall has endorsed the club's drafting of Stuart Dew, but says the former Port Adelaide forward may have to endure constant taunts about his weight.

Former Port Adelaide forward Stuart Dew, 28, trains with his new club Hawthorn at Waverley Park yesterday. He was selected at pick No. 45. Picture: Michael Dodge

Dew yesterday stepped out for training with his new club at Waverley Park, just four days after being controversially selected at pick No. 45 by coach Alastair Clarkson.

The 28-year-old, who played 180 games with Port before retiring after the 2006 season, has been told he must hit strict weight requirements if he is to play senior football next year.

After a year in which he travelled to the US with former girlfriend Teresa Palmer, Dew reached 120kg. But he has told friends he is back down to 99kg and needs to lose another 6kg by next season.

Hawthorn said this week Dew was at 104kg and needed to lose another 10kg.

The club is determined to play down any friction caused by Clarkson's decision to draft Dew against the wishes of the match committee.

But Dunstall, who endured good-natured taunts over his ample haunches during his career, said Hawthorn was well placed to take a punt on a player such as Dew.

Dunstall said Dew would be used to constant discussion about his frame.

"He had that when he was playing at Port Adelaide," Dunstall said yesterday.

"People will always be talking about it. I don't think the weight is as important as whether he's getting his hands on the footy or not.

"He has been working very hard and he won't have too much to worry about (the weight), but people will say it whether you are or aren't overweight. It will be like water off a duck's back. We know he can play, absolutely we know he can do it."

Dunstall said talk that Dew's selection indicated the club thought it was close to a premiership was ill-founded.

"I don't know where people get that from. We are still the youngest team out there and we just lost three of our more experienced blokes, so a 28-year-old is hardly going to upset the list," Dunstall said.

"Most people thought it wasn't a particularly deep draft, so (pick) 45 is a pretty big gamble whichever way you go."

Hawthorn refused to comment about Dew yesterday, but list manager Chris Pelchen said on radio that Dew had been training up to five times a day to lose weight.

"Ultimately the decision for Stuart to come to the club was pretty much given to Clarko," Pelchen said on Sport 927.

"While I do have the right of veto, I also respect what the coach's needs are. That is why we made the decision. There wasn't quite the angst some people associated with it.

"The first discussion with Alastair and Stuart was in early September. It would be fair to say with his weight at that time over 120kg, Alastair explained we wouldn't consider him until he got himself fit.

"Stuart played in his last season at 107 kilos, and (Port Adelaide) listed him at 90kg.

"But from 24 onwards he was always over 95kg, so we are trying to get his body back to the level he was at when he was 24 or 25 years of age."

mick

15 Dec 2007, 16:07

Rumours and myths about Stuart Dew dispelled by Hawthorn observers at training:

Dew does NOT beep when running backwards.

He was recently on holidays enjoying his early retirement, the rumours that he has been on the run from Japanese whaling vessels have been denied vigorously by the club.

Even though it appeared that Stuart was carrying a packet of hotdogs on his neck, a pinch test prior to draft day has confirmed it was all Dew.

The recent spate of false car alarms in the Waverly area was not caused by Stuart running.

There are more Chins in a Hong Kong phone book than on Stuart Dew.

The collision that Beau Dowler received on his thigh at training was a more serious injury than the chaffing Stuart's inner thighs received on the Kokoda trek.

mick

15 Dec 2007, 16:12

Fox Sports, 5th December 2007.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22872566-23211,00.html

Clarko hopes for Dew credit
By Trevor Grant
December 05, 2007 BY his own admission, Alastair Clarkson is headstrong.

Some who know the Hawthorn coach well, and have experienced his bullish ways, would probably go further.

Jason Dunstall says he's got small-man syndrome. "He doesn't like being told no," the former Hawks great and board member told me after butting heads with him during Clarkson's first season in 2005.

So much of what Clarkson has done since he took over from the mild-mannered Peter Schwab at the end of the 2004 season confirms the image of a man who enjoys confrontation and doesn't bother concealing his Napoleonic complex.

He got our attention even before coaching his first AFL game, delivering a spray to his players that was said to have peeled the remaining paint off the flaky walls of tatty, old Glenferrie Oval.

Stunned journalists minding their own business outside the rooms couldn't help but hear it, and duly reported it. The Herald Sun headline said it all: My Way or the Highway.

Three seasons on, nothing much has changed. The same headline fitted perfectly last week, as the Hawks made the stunning decision to draft the former Port Adelaide midfielder Stuart Dew.

Right now 28-year-old Dew looks more like a target for the harpoons on those sneaky Japanese ships south of Tasmania than an AFL footballer. Indeed, weighing in at 100kg-plus, he has become one of the more interesting scientific experiments in the AFL, destined to keep nervous fans and officials on fat-watch for many months as he sweats his way towards the 2008 season.

More nervous than anyone, though, will be Clarkson, who is the driver of this audacious bid to turn a jelly-bellied retiree into a worthwhile contributor in the most uncompromising arena of all.

When Dew's name was put forward at the Hawthorn bench as pick No. 45 at the draft last month, the men in the brown-and-gold polo shirts locked horns like Siberian bull deer at the start of spring.

Only one man wanted him. But it was the man who counts most. Despite the interesting claim from the head of recruiting, Chris Pelchen, that he held the power of veto over the coach, Clarkson stared them all down and prevailed.

Despite the subsequent claims that they are all 100 per cent convinced that Dew will turn out to be the bargain buy of the summer sales, everyone knows he's Clarkson's baby, and he, alone, has to take responsibility for whatever happens.

philhawk

15 Dec 2007, 21:06

Great stuff, matey. :thumbsu:

I hope Dew proves the doubters (including myself) wrong next year.

mick

16 Dec 2007, 11:46

Herald Sun 16 December 2007.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,22930153%255E20322,00.html Big plans for Dew
16 December 2007 Sunday Herald Sun
Jackie Epstein

HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson says he had no hesitation drafting Stuart Dew and expects a long-term contribution from the former Port forward.
Foreman material: Stuart Dew.

Denying it was a quick-fix move, Clarkson said Dew had plenty to offer and hinted he may even fill a leadership role.

Dew was part of the Hawks group that just travelled to Kokoda.

"We wouldn't have taken him in the draft if we didn't think he could make a really valuable contribution to our club over the next period of time," Clarkson said.

"I always thought at 28 years of age it was too early to be lost to the game.

"I'm really pleased that he had the motivation and desire to get back involved again and hopefully we'll benefit from that over the next couple of years.

"We didn't anticipate that Joel (Smith), Richie (Vandenberg) and Ben (Dixon) would all retire at the same time.

"It left us a bit skinny at the top end of our club in terms of experienced players who could really give our young players some guidance and direction. Stuey can offer that."

Dew still has a long way to go in terms of fitness, having spent a year out of the game.

He was joined in Kokoda by all players new to the club since the last experience in 2004.

.

Now I get it, we drafted Dew because we were a bit skinny at the top end. Straight from the coaches mouth.

mick

17 Dec 2007, 07:31

Jordan Lewis comments on Stuart Dew. Herald Sun 17th December,2007.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,22935226%255E20322,00.html

Meanwhile, Lewis said Stuart Dew had settled in well at the club and said his experience would be invaluable.

"He is a really good inclusion for next season," Lewis said. "We have lost a lot of experience through Vanders (Richie Vandenberg), Dicko (Ben Dixon) and Smithy (Joel Smith).

"To get a quality player like Dewy, who has finals experience and has actually played in a premiership, is great for the club."

mick

20 Dec 2007, 17:23

Russell on Dew,20 December 2007. Hawthorn website[URL="httphttp://hawthornfc.com.au/tabid/4742/News/NewsArticle/Default.aspx?newsId=54440://"]http://hawthornfc.com.au/tabid/4742/News/NewsArticle/Default.aspx?newsId=54440

HAWTHORN recruit Stuart Dew is making steady progress through a tailored pre-season training program and is on target to reach his optimum playing weight according to Hawks head fitness coach Andrew Russell.

Dew was selected at No.45 in last month’s AFL Draft after spending a year out of football following his retirement from Port Adelaide at the end of 2006.

But Russell said he could not fault the application and desire to succeed of the 180-game veteran.

“We know where he’s at, he knows where he’s at and he’s going in the right direction, so that’s all that really matters,” Russell said on Thursday.

“His weight is irrelevant [right now]; his approach to his training will see him get into the condition that he needs to be.”

The 28-year-old power forward has just returned from Papua New Guinea where he was part of the Hawks’ challenging 96km overland trek of the Kokoda Track.

Dew, told HawksTV, that he is looking forward to making an impact in 2008 and feels refreshed after 12 months out of the game.

“It’s perfect timing for myself. Coming to a new club is a new experience for me. Last time I did it I was 17 years old, so it’s been fantastic,” Dew said on the Hawks’ Kokoda Video Diary.

“I couldn’t have asked for better timing. And also fitness-wise, it’s been an unbelievable experience – not just on the footy side of things. It’s just a fantastic achievement to do this (Kokoda) and one that I recommend to any able-bodied Australian.

“… I was saying to the guys I feel like I’ve been here (at Hawthorn) for couple of months already. I know the guys reasonably well, obviously we’ve been living in each others pockets. You find out about there goods and bads and their strengths and weaknesses.

“(After the year off) … I feel mentally refreshed and it was a chance to rest the body.”

Russell said he has not been able to fault Dew and said he was totally committed to the Hawks’ program and totally committed to getting himself back.

“Mentally he’s in fantastic condition and physically he’s doing a lot of training – up to five hours a day – to get himself back into shape,” Russell continued.

“We’re very confident he’s going to be in good condition and ready to play. We just need to chip away and be consistent. Over a period of three to four months he needs consistency in every aspect of his life and that’s what we’re getting from him.

mick

22 Dec 2007, 09:28

Herald Sun 22 Dec 2007. Seems like Jon Ralph went to the trouble of visiting the Hawthorn website and copied the Dew article for his readers.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,22961770%255E20322,00.html

Dew meets weighty demands
22 December 2007 Herald Sun
Jon Ralph

CONTROVERSIAL Hawks recruit Stuart Dew says his 12-month break from football may be the secret to a successful 2008 season.

Dew continues to lose weight in a bid to meet strict requirements dictated by Hawthorn after being lured out of retirement by coach Alastair Clarkson.

The 28-year-old, who needs to lose up to 25kg to play senior football, has impressed club fitness staff with his dedication in recent weeks.

He said completing the club's Kokoda Track walk had helped him continue his bid to return to peak shape, and said the year's rest had been ideal.

"(After the year off) I feel mentally refreshed and it was a chance to rest the body," he said.

"It's perfect timing for myself. Coming to a new club, it's a new experience for me. Last time I did it I was 17 years old, so it's been fantastic. I couldn't have asked for better timing.

"And also fitness-wise, it's been an unbelievable experience -- not just the footy side of things. It's just a fantastic achievement to do this (Kokoda) and one that I recommend to any able-bodied Australian."

He told hawthornfc.com.au he had settled in well at Hawthorn and felt ready to make an impact next year.

Hawthorn head fitness coach Andrew Russell yesterday backed the power forward, but said it was less about instant weight loss and more about working towards all-round fitness.

"We know where he's at, he knows where he's at, and he's going in the right direction, so that's all that really matters," he said. "The weight is irrelevant; his approach to training will see him get into the condition that he needs to be.

"Mentally he's in fantastic condition and physically he's doing a lot of training -- up to five hours a day -- to get him back into shape."

HappyHawk

23 Dec 2007, 12:55

If that isn't a "rebirth" in desire to play, then nothing is. I wouldn't be surprised if Dew hits career best form this year. Sometimes, as long as you're still in the right age bracket, you need to lose what you love so you can cherish it. I get the feeling Dew is due.

GNCLongJack

24 Dec 2007, 05:38

Was very relaxed, and approachable on the super sunday. This could be "special". ..........................HAWKS, FINALISTS IN '08 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!:cool:

Big Ronnie

24 Dec 2007, 19:21

Well done Mick who has Stewie Dew with selection number 2 in the 2007 Buddy Draft. Mick is very excited (Can you believe the number of posts already:eek:) And has promised to get him in tip top shape whilst filling us in with all his info for the season.

Good Luck Mick:thumbsu:

BR

mick

11 Jan 2008, 13:40

From the HFC club website:

http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=4742&newsId=54578

The boot's on the other foot
12:58 PM Fri 11 January, 2008 | Back

By Ben Broad

Exclusive to AFL BigPond Network

News

Hawks are Dew: Hodge

By Ben Broad

For afl.com.au // hawthornfc.com.au

IT MIGHT seem paradoxical but Hawthorn vice-captain Luke Hodge, the man regarded as one of the best kicks in the AFL, can’t wait to be on the receiving end of a “bullet” from one of his newest team mates this year.

Following a sweltering training session at Dandenong on Friday morning, Hodge spoke in glowing terms of former Port Adelaide star and new Hawk recruit Stuart Dew.

Dew was a controversial selection in some quarters given his age and that he was coming back from a year out of the game.

However Hodge has given the former Port premiership player a big thumbs up, believing he will be a huge asset as his team tries to better its second-week finals exit of 2007.

“To see him out there today, the way he kicks the ball, it’s sensational,” he said.

Hodge, widely considered as one of the competition’s elite ball users, said he was looking forward to being on the end of some of Dew’s handiwork this year.

“I can’t wait for another three more months of him training and then to actually lead out and get one of his bullet passes,” he said.

“Just the way he trains and the way the fellas watch him, it’s just great for us.”

Number 24

11 Jan 2008, 13:53

As at 11/1/08 S Dew is a collingwood 6 footer with the build of fromer North Melb ruckman Mick Nolan (who by the way could play a bit).

It's only halfway through preseason and there is still a roof over the tool shed and not a lot of definition in the arms and chest. What is as apparent as his size, is his enthuasiam.
He is TOTALLY different from every other player on our list. Every other player is lean to skinny which makes Dewy standout even more.

I don't write him off and wil be interested to follow reports on his progress throughout the season esp now I have seen him up close at this stage of the year.

mick

20 Jan 2008, 07:47

Small excerpt about Stuart from the Herald Sun, 20th January, 208.
Simon Taylor, responds to questions about if there will be any improvement in the team in 08:

Simon Taylor
"We're not going to put limits on ourselves. Even someone coming in like Stuart Dew has benefited the group.

"He's looking really good and is a quality guy, so you can understand why the coaching staff wanted him.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,23077506%255E20322,00.html

RustyHawk

25 Jan 2008, 16:33

Stuey due for the pre-season cup: Mitchell
12:44 PM Fri 25 January, 2008 | Back

By Jennifer Witham

for hawthornfc.com.au

News
Pre-season Press Conference: Mitchell
Fri, Jan 25, 08 HAWTHORN captain Sam Mitchell believes former Port Adelaide star Stuart Dew could make his first appearance in the brown and gold possibly as soon as the pre-season cup.

Dew, who was drafted by the Hawks last season after spending a year out of the game following his retirement from football in 2006, was out of condition and over his playing weight when he presented at his new home in November.

But Mitchell said the premiership player has worked hard at regaining his fitness over summer, and could be considered a chance to figure in the Hawk's pre-season campaign, which kicks off in three weeks time.

"If you quote me and say yes and he's not, I'm sorry. But, I would say looking at him, he could play at the moment, but that's up to him and how he feels, and how Jack, our fitness man, what they think," Mitchell said on Friday.

"But, I'd be well and truly happy to run out next to him at the moment.

"I reckon he's trimmed down. Looking at him running around out there today, I think he's back pretty close, and I'm not sure of his exact measurements, to what his playing weight would be.

"He's going along nicely and he's fitted into the group so well. If you have a look at him out there, he's just a great leader for us.

"He's helping out the young guys, telling them what to do and where to go, and the patterns they should be running and the things they should be doing. When you can get an extra leader like that at the age of 28 or 29, and a premiership player into the footy club, it's a great thing for us."

mick

28 Jan 2008, 11:32

Troy Wingate

28 Jan 2008, 11:43

28th Jan 2008. Preseason Training

Surprisingly to me, Stuart was training with the defenders group, alongside Croad, Goo, Birchall etc. Skills looked good. Still a bit podgy but that might just be his build.

He finished middle of the field in the final training run, huffing and puffing but looks fit enough to make the best 22.

That would be because he will generally hang around the half back line while the ball is down there so he can make the long kick outta defense and into the forward line. Dewy is the rare type of player that can pin point a target with a flat, bullet like kick from half back to half forward.

There are hardly any players that can do that.

You guys are gonna love Dewy!

mick

1 Feb 2008, 07:47

Long piece about Dew in the HS, reiterating comments made on SEN radio.

Fresher, fitter Dew ready to repay faith
01 February 2008 Herald Sun
Jon Ralph

http://heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,23141259%255E19742,00.html
WHEN Stuart Dew told Port Adelaide he had retired in late 2006 - never to play again - the club made sure anyway.

With the Power determined not to release a club legend then immediately see him drafted elsewhere, he signed a contract preventing him from playing AFL football the next year.

For all Dew cared, the contract clause could have run for a decade.

The Port Adelaide star was shot. Mentally, physically and professionally.

When Dew makes his Hawthorn debut in coming weeks, eager fans will gasp at the 28-year-old's physical transformation from pudgy retiree to taut elite athlete.

For Dew, the bigger change has been a mental one.

It might have taken a year off, months of international travel and some serious soul-searching, but Dew has fallen back in love with the game.

"The contract (clause) came around at the last minute with the Mal Michael thing, but there was never a danger," Dew said, in his first interview since arriving at the club.

"I wasn't in a good place to play footy last year. It would have been unfair, whether I stayed at Port or went to another club.

"I would have just gone through the motions, and in a team sport that's not good enough.

"(Retiring) was the best thing I ever did. I got out at the right time and learnt a lot about myself and the people around me."

After declaring in December "I will never play football for another (AFL) team", Dew flew to America with girlfriend and budding Hollywood starlet Teresa Palmer.

He travelled extensively by himself and with his father - LA, Mexico, Vegas, San Diego - and basically let himself go.

Never a stickler for fitness of any variety, he admits he thrived away from the dictates of AFL dietitians.

"It was good fun while it lasted," he chuckles.

While it has been reported he hit 120kg, he says he wasn't exactly jumping on the scales on a daily basis.

"I don't know where the figures have come from. I have never been one to weigh myself, especially when I am retired. It's the last thing I would do."

Mid-year, and still with no thought of resuscitating his career, he returned to Adelaide minus his girlfriend and took up a guest role commentating on Port games for South Australian radio.

It was there that the possibility of a comeback at SANFL level became a nagging soundtrack that constantly hummed in his brain.

"I did a little bit of work for Port (in development) and also with the ABC radio. That had a lot to do with it, getting back into the game, and seeing games from a different perspective.

"When you see a close game and the spirit that comes from that, whether it was watching Port last year and their win against Geelong, or their win against Hawthorn down in Tassie, it's those games when you remember how good a win is."

"Halfway through the year I contemplated playing for Central Districts in the local league, and in mid-August I started training a little bit by myself."

The beat of the AFL's drums reached former Port assistant Alastair Clarkson, who had never forgotten Dew's game-breaking abilities.

Clarkson reasoned if Dew was plying his trade, it might as well be in the AFL.

For Dew - a Hawks supporter as a kid - it seemed a natural fit, especially with Port Adelaide reluctant to resume their partnership.

"The main thing was, I said, 'I am not in good shape'. I didn't say, 'I am flying, pick me and I will do this and that'.

"(Clarkson) said, 'Give yourself a chance, whether it's us or someone else, to get in reasonable shape and then they can see you are making an effort."

The inevitable media heat came when Clarkson drafted Dew, but the headstrong coach was adamant.

Dew was on a plane to Port Moresby's Kokoda Track within days, and on his return found himself swimming, boxing, cycling, and hill-walking.

Only after the Christmas break did he return to full training, which puts him on track for a return to senior football before Round 1.

"The aim is not so much to get people to stop talking about me, it's just been to get myself ready to play and fit in with the group.

"I don't want to waste my time or anyone else's to come over and not perform," he said.

"Every day you feel yourself getting fitter, running better, carrying yourself around the ground, seeing your clothes fit differently."

But if Dew's best football is elite, he still knows the score.

Even if Hawthorn plays Port Adelaide in Round 8, there are no grand statements or predictions.

First he needs to get into the side, and then he needs to hold his spot.

"I need to try to get a game. It will be on for spots here, so whether it's the NAB Cup or the real season, I have to get in the side.

"I am just looking to the day when (fitness boss) Andrew Russell and Clarko basically come in and say, 'You are ready to play a game', whether it's a trial game or something else."

philhawk

2 Feb 2008, 14:41

Sorry to intrude on the fine work you're doing, mick, but I saw this on the main board (posted by Alex) and thought you'd like it in this thread.

http://www.teamaus.org/dew1.JPG

Have to say he is looking good fitness wise. I also like the part where he acknowledges that he was a risk being picked up by Hawthorn, but he is also prepared to give it his best shot!

mick

12 Feb 2008, 20:58

Earning his Dew
5:11 PM Tue 12 February, 2008 | Back
By Jason Phelan
for hawthornfc.com.au

[URL="http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=55181"]http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=55181[/URL (http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=55181)

STUART DEW took the field in his new team’s colours for the first time in an intra-club match in Launceston last Friday, but Hawks fans shouldn’t expect to see too much of the 28-year-old before the home-and-away season kicks off in March.

After a year out of the game, Dew continues to make steady progress through a carefully planned training regime that does not include playing a major role in the NAB Cup, but leaves him on track to be available for selection for round one.

“When I first arrived at the club we mapped out a bit of a plan for me that went right up to round one of the season proper,” Dew says.

“We’re getting there, but there’s still progress to be made, so I won’t be playing in the first round of the NAB Cup. It’s more about preparation for me at this point because once you start playing games, you get into recovery mode and getting ready for the next match.

“So I’ve still got a really good chance to get a solid block of training before the season starts.”

Dew had limited impact on the intra-club contest, but that was hardly the point as the slimmed-down left-footer delighted Alastair Clarkson with his ability to run out the game.

Subjecting himself once again to the rigours of a pre-season campaign was the furthest thing from Dew’s mind when he shocked the Power by announcing his retirement at the end of the 2006 season.

But, after several months travelling abroad, Dew landed back in Adelaide midway through last year and took up a regular special comments role with ABC Radio’s AFL coverage which he credits for rekindling the fire within.

“I was working with a good crew over there in Adelaide and just started to enjoy watching footy again, whereas early on in the year I wasn’t interested in watching it too much,” he explains.

“But to actually watch it and have to speak about it and what’s happening on the ground just got me involved in the game again.

“Around August I started to think I wouldn’t mind having a kick with Centrals in the SANFL. That was sort of what I set myself for, but then it all happened pretty quick leading up to the draft. I decided to nominate and see what happened and the next minute here I am.”

Dew maintains he was offered no guarantees by anyone, including Clarkson, in the lead up to the NAB AFL Draft in November, but knew he was doing the right thing by at least giving himself the opportunity to add to his 180 AFL games.

“On draft day I was actually out of mobile range, so I didn’t find out the Hawks had picked me up until about four hours later and once I heard, just the excitement that I felt, I knew that I’d made the right decision,” he recalls.

“Even when I was over in Melbourne and I walked in to the AFL to hand in my nomination papers, I walked out of there thinking, ‘I’m ready. If someone picks me I’m ready to do the hard yards, cop the criticism, wear it all and just get back into it’.”

And there certainly was criticism directed at both him and the club after he was taken with pick 45 including plenty of focus on his weight after a year out of the game.

“That’s sort of been there throughout my whole career; if it bothered me then I wouldn’t have nominated,” he says with a shrug.

“I knew that it would happen, but I wasn’t about to sit there and worry about what people think. The first thing I said to anyone who did speak to me about playing was ‘I’m not fit’. I hadn’t done any sort of preparation; I retired from footy to retire from footy, I didn’t retire to have a year off and then come again.”

The glare of the media spotlight intensified when an unflattering newspaper pictorial of the 2004 premiership player from an early training session at Waverley was published, but his commitment didn’t waver.

“They [the media] have got their job to do and if I worry too much about what they’re doing then I’m not paying proper attention to what I should be doing,” he says.

“I’m just happy to worry about myself, mixing in with the group, fitting in with the team’s style and I’m really not bothered about reading the paper too much. Where I get my feedback from is not the back page of the paper, it’s from the players and the coaches.

“Coming from Adelaide where the media is just focussed on two teams, you are in the spotlight a lot whether you’re going well or not. So it was no different when I nominated, but it’s been good to have the opportunity to improve as I’ve gone along.

“Admittedly it was pretty easy with the way I was to get where I am now, but the harder part comes when you get close to where you want to be.”

Dew is highly motivated to reach his fitness goals with the finish line in sight and is grateful for the chance that Clarkson, who he acknowledges “worked pretty hard” to get him to the club, has afforded him.

After 10 years at Port Adelaide, a club he retains a special affection for, Dew is enjoying the challenge of removing himself from his comfort zone, but says the things that drive him to succeed remain the same.

“I think the main thing is that you’ve got to have respect for the people that have played before you and also the support staff who put their time and effort into the club often for little or no monetary reward,” he says.

“I think the off-field group here is very similar to Port in that they’ve got a lot of volunteers who help out and the club is their life. Some people’s weeks rely heavily on what 22 blokes do on the weekend, so I think the main thing to understand is just the responsibility that you have in playing for a club whether it’s Hawthorn or Port or anyone.

“You’ve got to understand the opportunity you’ve got, take your chances and put on your very best performance because you want to make those people proud.”

noosa hawk mad

16 Feb 2008, 12:50

Dew to sit out NAB Cup opener

5:50 PM Fri 15 February, 2008 | Back (javascript:history.go(-1);)
By Catherine Murphy
for hawthornfc.com.au

News

HAWTHORN recruit Stuart Dew will not play in the club’s round one NAB cup game against Sydney Swans but coach Alastair Clarkson said the former Port Adelaide player was just a couple of weeks away from being match fit.
“He’s had a really good block of training and he just needs to continue that over the next few weeks and get himself ready for round one,” Clarkson said.
The 28-year-old spent a year out of the game but has been shaping up nicely since he began training at Waverley Park. But Clarkson said it was not just his physical development that had impressed him.

“So much is to do with attitude and his attitude has been outstanding,” Clarkson said.

“So he will, over time, make a really important contribution, not just on the field but also off the field in terms of the development of some of our younger players.” Clarkson didn’t reveal what position Dew would occupy when he does play.
“He’s obviously very potent with the way he uses the ball and whether that’s on the half-forward flank kicking goals for us, or whether it is on a wing or half-back actually setting [goals] up for us, I’m sure he’s going to be a very handy acquisition to our side when he gets back into the mix.”

mick

25 Feb 2008, 07:13

Article from the Age.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/as-dew-lightens-playing-hopes-rise/2008/02/24/1203788145874.html

As Dew lightens, playing hopes rise
Michael Gleeson | February 25, 2008

WHEN Hawthorn speculated in selecting Stuart Dew with pick No. 45 in last year's AFL national draft, the prematurely retired Port Adelaide premiership player was at a point built more for comfort, not for speed.

As he was a former footballer, there were no complaints. Now, a summer of intense training is edging close to a dividend, with Dew likely to play for the Hawks as soon as this week.

The gamble will then not be on fitness, but on form, for he should be able now to make himself fit for round one.

"I am hoping to put my name up this week so, judging by the way the boys played last night, I might have to take out someone on the track to get a game. Although some might have taken themselves out," Dew joked to the crowd at the Hawks' family day at Glenferrie Oval yesterday.

"It will take me a couple of games to get into it … maybe half-back or on a wing and, hopefully, sneak forward for a few goals."

Dew arrived at Hawthorn conservatively 10 kilograms over a reasonable playing weight, but the football department has taken the approach that he will be measured on capacity to play not kilograms lost.

"When he is fit enough to withstand the rigours of the game, he will play. It's about conditioning and readiness to play," football operations manager Mark Evans said. "He will likely come into the side in the next week or two."

Brad Sewell, Trent Croad and Rick Ladson are also likely to play this week.

Lance Franklin had a knock to a calf in the first quarter on Saturday night, but was unrestricted as he played on through the first half. He sat out the second half, but the club said that was not about injury so much as the scoreline (where they were well in front) and preservation for the season ahead.

With Campbell Brown on report and Shane Crawford suspended from the opening three rounds of the season — although he is free to play in the pre-season cup competition — the Hawks' midfield could be stretched in the opening games.

On pre-season form, Travis Tuck could fill a vacancy in the midfield.

Another Hawk on report from Saturday night is Josh Kennedy (for making forceful contact with Marc Murphy). Franklin was also reported for wrestling.

mick

28 Feb 2008, 18:00

From Yahoo7 Sport.

http://au.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/-/898029

Hawks set to unveil Dew
Sportal - February 28, 2008, 12:58 pm

Sportal ©

Boom Hawthorn recruit Stuart Dew looks set to make his debut for the Hawks in Saturday night's NAB Cup semi-final against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.

Dew has not played in the AFL since retiring after 180 games with Port Adelaide in 2006 before the Hawks surprisingly revived his career by selecting him at pick 45 in last year's national draft.

And now the 28-year-old, who has performed wonders on the training track to get himself back into shape after being overweight when he first joined the Hawks, is ready to play again.

"He will definitely play this weekend but we have to decide whether we take him to Adelaide or he plays in a practice match for Box Hill (in the VFL)," Hawthorn football manager Mark Evans told Sportal on Thursday.

"But we probably will take him because we can play 26 players in Adelaide (due to the expanded interchange bench used in NAB Cup games)."

Evans said the Hawks were delighted with Dew's progress.

"We said all along we were hoping to play him for the first time in either week three or week four of the NAB Cup," he said.

Powerstufff

28 Feb 2008, 18:40

Go big fella, go!

noosa hawk mad

3 Mar 2008, 19:08

Dew shines in Hawthorn debut

Author: Geoff Dodd 12:29 PM Sun 02 March, 2008
http://mm.afl.com.au/Portals/0/images/AFL/Hawthorn/Dew_Hawthorn_M.jpg
Stuart Dew in the semi-final against Adelaide

THE beaming look on his face after the match said it all – Stuart Dew is back doing what he loves best, and he’s pretty happy about it.
The former Port Adelaide premiership player and surprise Hawthorn recruit donned the brown and gold for the first time on Saturday night and showed enough with his 14 possessions to suggest he might just be one of the bargain buys of the season.
Eighteen months ago Dew walked away from the game after 180 matches and 10 seasons with the Power.
"I have weighed up my options and I feel it's not fair on anyone ... to play on if I'm not 100 per cent into it,” the raking left-footer said at the time.
"I have got a year on my contract and I could have played on and gone through the motions but I'm not that kind of person.”
Fast forward, and now Dew, 28, is as excited as a kid in a lolly shop – except you know a lolly shop is the last place you’d find him in his new life in Melbourne.
“It’s been a fantastic transition. I’m really excited,” Dew says of his reinvention as a Hawk. “It was a weird feeling playing football again after about 18 months. (But) it was great.
“The boys have been fantastic, the way they’ve helped me settle in and even before the game there was really great encouragement.
“The first touch I thought the heat would be on and it was good to just dodge around a couple and give the handball off. It felt pretty comfortable after that.
“But it was weird to play here [at AAMI Stadium] against the Crows in different colours.”
Given his obvious level of enjoyment, did Dew now wonder ‘why did I ever walk away’?
“Not really,” he says. “I was in a position where I really wanted to step out. And to be able to enjoy it like I am now, it wouldn’t have been possible if I hadn’t done that.”
Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson, who raised eyebrows with his pursuit of Dew, knows exactly what his new recruit is capable of, having been an assistant coach at Port Adelaide when Dew was at the height of his powers. And Clarkson clearly has a specific role marked for Dew at Hawthorn.
“He’s a very, very talented player,” Clarkson says. “He’s played a lot of footy and he’ll be a great contributor for us over the next little while.”
The immediate future, though, holds more hard work for Dew.
“(Tonight) was what I needed at this stage. To get in a bit of traffic, in a competitive game, it was a good chance to get a good workout,” Dew said.
“We’ve got another two or three hard weeks and then we’ll look at it. I’ll play this week and next week and maybe even the weekend off, depending on how I’m going.
“I’ll try and put my hand up for Round 1.”
It was perhaps ironic that the man best known for his skills as a ‘superboot’ handballed more than he kicked in his debut for his new club (4 kicks, 10 handballs). Was that a deliberate ploy, to ease back into the game perhaps?
“No, not at all – it’s just the way it panned out. I think I had about four or five (handballs) before I kicked the ball. When I got to the fifth I thought ‘OK, I’d better get a kick here soon’.
“But I was just happy to get a few touches and feel comfortable around the team.
“Unfortunately we didn’t get over the line – but we’ve got bigger plans.”
Hard work and big plans. Sounds like it might be a while before this Dew is kicked off the grass again

mick

21 Mar 2008, 20:05

http://news.realfooty.com.au/dews-diligence-a-boost-for-hawthorn/20080321-20vu.html

Dew Diligence,

A report on the great man being named in the opening round , from the Age 21MAR2008.

Former Port Adelaide premiership player Stuart Dew has surprised Hawthorn with the rate of his AFL comeback.

Dew will play his first official game for the Hawks on Sunday against Melbourne at the MCG, along with AFL newcomers Cyril Rioli and Cameron Stokes.

Hawthorn will be without key players Luke Hodge, Shane Crawford, Campbell Brown and Jordan Lewis, all through suspension.

Dew, 28, retired at the end of 2006, but the Hawks picked him up last November in the national draft.

The first and most obvious challenge has been some serious fitness work over the summer for Dew, who was never renowned for an athletic build at Port and then lost conditioning during his year off from football.

But coach Alastair Clarkson was among several members of Hawthorn's football department who had worked with Dew at Port and knew he would put a lot of effort into his comeback.

"We knew it was going to be a tough road, but we also knew given that Andrew Russell, myself, Damien Hardwick, Geoff Morris and Chris Pelchen had all worked with Dewy before, we knew he had the character and attitude to be able to cope with the challenge," Clarkson said.

"We knew it was going to be a significant one, but him getting himself up and playing in round one was always the goal that we had in mind.

"In actual fact, he's a little bit ahead of that because he's played a couple of NAB Cup games ... we didn't perhaps forecast that when we set the path in motion last November."

Dew, a booming left-foot kick, said he went into his comeback with eyes wide open, well aware of the risks involved and the scepticism that he could regain AFL fitness.

One of the main factors that helped him was coming into a strong club, with plenty of expectations about success.

"That was always going to happen, it's happened over the time, whether I've been as fit as I've ever been in my life," Dew said of the media focus on his weight.

"Once it's an issue once, it's always there, no matter what - if I was going to be worried about it, I wouldn't have put myself out there for that criticism.

"That's where the support of players, (the) club - that's all that really matters, that's how I would measure myself.

"I've been around footy clubs enough to know that's where you should get your feedback from, not from outside."

mick

25 Mar 2008, 19:47

The Round One dominated in round one, in his debut game for the Hawks Stuart Dew showed just why Clarkson had so much faith in him. An inspired performance saw Dew collect 15 kicks, 10 handballs, along with 2 goals. By my count four of his kicks were ineffective, but these blemishes were addressed in the next phase of play and resulted in positive contributions.

Like John Daly, Meatloaf, Craig Parry and Mick Nolan before him, Dew has given hope to fat blokes everywhere. He will surely become a favourite at the Hawks, with Buddy, Roughead and Boyle already seeing the benefits of his substantial left leg.

The play of the day being Dew's first goal in Hawthorn colours. Thanks very much to Dixie Flatline for the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX4sIUJ5q8E

As you can tell from the video footage the earth was shaking when Mountain Dew started putting the big steps in.

Thanks again to Dixie Flatline for the second Dew goal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m79z6uRZmbQ

Well done Stuart, fantastic debut.

mick

29 Mar 2008, 22:30

Not such an auspicious occassion on Stuart's second outing in the Brown, white and Gold. Stu played alright for three quarters, but seems to have torn his hamstring kicking a 65 metre kick to the goalsquare.

Prognosis to be posted when made public.

Bad luck Stu, after all that hard work you deserved better.

inwhiterooms

20 Apr 2008, 23:36

any news on how he's travelling? Due back in this week?

mick

21 Apr 2008, 19:58

Round 8 is touted as his earliest return, and it is possible he will have a run at Box Hill first.

mick

15 May 2008, 12:25

Big Stu to be sledged.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23700982-23211,00.html

Power to have words with Dew
By Zac Milbank
May 15, 2008 PORT Adelaide are priming themselves for a Saturday sledging session - and the No.1 target is Stuart Dew.

The Hawthorn superboot will get his own back when the Power unleash a verbal barrage on their former premiership teammate on Saturday.

And Port, once regarded as one of the most notorious sledging teams, are itching to return to old ways when they meets Dew for the first time in Launceston.

Veteran ruckman Brendon Lade confirmed there would be no shortage of choice words thrown at Dew, who is eager to impress against his former club at Aurora Stadium.

"Without doubt," Lade said when asked if Dew would be taunted with jibes.

"He was one of the best when he was at our club, so I assume he will still be the same. We've got some pretty good guys (at sledging) who can probably go straight back at him, too.

"We've got some ammunition against him, so we'll be looking forward to that."

Crowd favourite Dew called a premature end to his 180-game career at Alberton at the end of 2006, citing a loss of passion for the game.

"It looks pretty funny already, him wearing the No.31," Lade said.

"It will be good to play against him - we haven't had an opportunity to play against Dewy. He knows all our strengths and weaknesses and we know his too, so it's a bit of each way there."

So what will be said in order to get under the 28-year-old's skin?

"Whatever is said out there normally stays out there," Lade said.

"We've got a fair bit of ammo on Dewy and he's obviously got a fair bit on us. But it's all good - we're really looking forward to that."

Lade, one of several Port players still playing who shared the 2004 premiership with Dew, said it "would have been nice" if he had chosen to resume his career with the Power.

"But fairytales don't always happen," Lade said. "I think Dewy is very happy there at Hawthorn and we can't wait to play against him."

Hawthorn, keen to protect Dew from the media this week, will pick his brain for fresh information on his old teammates.

And Dew's presence at Waverley has only added to the queue of ex-Port employees now at Hawthorn, including newly re-signed coach Alastair Clarkson.

"We're very lucky," Hawks veteran Shane Crawford said.

"We've got Damien Hardwick as assistant coach, our coach (Clarkson) who was at Port Adelaide and we also have Stuart Dew.

"So we know a lot about them which we think will certainly help in some way."

RustyHawk

19 May 2008, 17:07

Dew gets one up on old mates
By Jason Phelan
6:42 PM Sun 18 May, 2008

Stuart Dew and Campbell Brown celebrate after Hawthorn's win at Aurora Stadium on Saturday

MOST players will tell you it’s not easy to front up against your old team for the first time, but Stuart Dew cleared that hurdle with apparent ease in Launceston on Saturday.

The 2004 premiership player lined up against Port Adelaide for the first time since he came out of retirement to join the Hawks and he admitted it was a relief to get it out of the way.

“I was a little bit nervous last night, but woke up this morning feeling not too bad,” Dew said shortly after the hard-fought 15-point win during which he contributed 21 quality possessions.

“It was different to see a few familiar faces playing for the other side out there, but it was pretty enjoyable to get the win.

“It was a pretty low-key build up, to be honest, in terms of the reference to it being my first game against my old team. These days the four points is a lot more important than one bloke so I thought it was a good preparation from all the boys.

“It is good to win the first one against your old team though, I think. I spoke to a couple of players who left clubs and then played against them and it’s always good just to get that first one out of the way.

“It really sort of hit me at the airport. We landed and they got in not long after and I was looking on from the outside. That was a bit of a shock, but it was business as usual once the game started.”

After missing four games with a hamstring injury and sitting idle during the Hall of Fame week, Dew admitted he was just dying to get out and play a game of footy, and the fact that it was against the club he spent 10 seasons with became almost secondary.

There was, of course, a bit of friendly banter between himself and a few of his old mates, especially after the Power shot out to a healthy early lead.

“We started poorly. Our turnovers were costing us big time,” he said.

“But it was awesome from the group for them to know that they can come back against a real quality side and have a win like that.

“We came in at quarter time and we weren’t too flustered. We were obviously disappointed to be five goals down, but the quality of the group and the composure meant that we could say, ‘Hang on boys, they’re five goals up but it’s probably not so much their play, it’s more our poor play’.

“That’s where the belief comes in that we can turn it around and then the result comes.”

The Hawks’ eighth win from eight starts continues their stellar start to the season with Dew confident the players are capable of striking a balance between belief in their own abilities and a healthy respect for the opposition.

“It’s a fine line. You’ve got to keep that belief and confidence, but you don’t want to tip over the edge and become over-confident,” he said.

“I think we’re managing it really well. We’ve got good processes in place, we assess the game well and then we move on.”

for hawthornfc.com.au

noosa hawk mad

23 Jun 2008, 12:32

Skills let us down: Dew
http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/tabid/4...x?newsid=61966 (http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/tabid/4742/Default.aspx?newsid=61966)http://mm.afl.com.au/Portals/0/images/AFL/AFL%20A-E/Dew_Rd13_246.jpgStuart Dew described Hawthorn's use of the ball against North Melbourne as "very average"

GIVEN the close nature of the competition, being a little bit off your game means you'll lose.
Hawthorn defender Stuart Dew said that was the message the Hawks had to heed after their loss to North Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
The Hawks came to life midway through each term, but the early lapses allowed the Roos to put goals on the board, and Dew said the team needed to be sharper.
"Our skills were really off today – we fumbled the ball, we were two-taking. On a day like that, when they're pretty switched on – and to give them their credit, they came ready to play – you can't two-take because the tackles are spot-on," he said.
"We didn't give our forwards the best chance, because once you fumble, they get numbers back. We did ourselves a bit of a disservice.
"We felt a bit off all day – I don't think we got on the front foot much. Our use of the ball was very average."
The Hawks generated good run off half-back, a lot of it quarterbacked by veteran Brent Guerra, although Dew said there was no specific plan to work through the 144-game veteran.
"He's just a smart player – he knows where to go, and how to get on the end of it. He's a real football brain, and a good kick, so why not use him?"
In an era when stats can and do lie on a regular basis, skipper Sam Mitchell is one whose numbers either give an accurate picture of his game or underplay it. Mitchell had it 38 times – by far the highest on the ground - which included four tackles, four clearances, three inside-50s, a couple of rebound 50s and a goal.
"He's just a workhorse – he never gives up and he's always around the packs. His intensity around the packs is what [sets him apart]," Dew said.
"You see the elite on-ballers, and that's what they do – if they don't cover the whole ground, they're just intense when the ball's in their area, and that's what he is."

mick

16 Jul 2008, 10:58

The Australian 16JUL2008.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24026625-2722,00.html

Dew's hopes hanging by a thread.

Print Courtney Walsh | July 16, 2008
IT is Hawthorn's version of the idiom, "How long is a piece of string?"

Or, more precisely, how long will contentious recruit Stuart Dew's hamstring problem sideline him for and what effect will it have on Hawthorn's September hopes?

The worth of drafting Dew remains in question with September looming and the star sidelined for another fortnight.

The Port Adelaide premiership player was lured out of a 12- month retirement by Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson, in part because of the raking brilliance of his left foot, but has been unable to string a month of football together.

According to Hawthorn's injury list, the 28-year-old will sit out Saturday night's match against St Kilda - and most likely the following Friday's enthralling stoush with Geelong -- due to hamstring tightness.

This will take to five weeks the time Dew, who is out of contract at the end of the season but understood to have support from within Hawthorn's football department for an extension through to 2009, has been absent from the field.

It also means Dew will have featured in just seven of 17 matches should he play against Collingwood in round 18, although a return through the VFL must be an option given the length of time he has missed.

The powerful left-footer missed a month of football after ripping a hamstring while playing against Fremantle in round two.

Dew missed another fortnight after straining a hamstring against Melbourne in round nine, his third game back from the initial tear. The Australian has been told Dew sustained another tear following his 22-possession effort against North Melbourne in round 13 with an assessment revealing he would be sidelined for five weeks.

But it is a suggestion categorically denied by Hawthorn's football manager Mark Evans yesterday who said the Hawks were instead being extremely cautious with Dew's hamstring tightness given his history and his potential worth to the club.

Evans said Dew initially felt tightness against the Kangaroos but was able to run out the match. The club's fitness staff then decided to ease off his training commitments to ensure he did not further damage the injury.

Dew did not feature in that week's injury list and was named in Hawthorn's side to play West Coast but withdrew at the last minute with the club citing "general soreness".

Hawthorn then had a week off during the split round before listing Dew for a test to prove his fitness for last Sunday's match against Sydney. Last month Clarkson, who pushed hard for Dew to be drafted last year, said the Hawks would continue to tread cautiously with Dew after conceding they had "overcooked" the recruit in round one.

"That wasn't really his fault. It was more ours," Clarkson said.

"Dewy only really planned to play 60 per cent of the game that day, but he had to play 85 because we had no other blokes. He blew up the following week against Fremantle because of how much work he'd done the week before."

But Clarkson said he had no doubt Hawthorn was a far more dangerous side with Dew, a brilliant kick, playing.

Dew is not the only star Hawk likely to be unavailable for selection with former captain Shane Crawford and class midfielders Jordan Lewis and Chance Bateman all needing a fitness test.

Crawford, who is suffering knee tendonitis, said on Melbourne radio he would struggle to play St Kilda, revealing he was using an anti-inflammatory treatment usually reserved for horses.

But his captain Sam Mitchell believes the Brownlow medallist will feature prominently in the run to September.

"Tendon injuries are a little bit uncertain. It's not like a hamstring where you're going to miss 21 or 24 days," Mitchell said.

RustyHawk

4 Aug 2008, 17:13

Dew wants a settled side

4/08/2008 2:00:59 PM
Brandon Cohen
Sportal

Rodney Eade may use the remaining four home-and-away matches to rotate his players but Hawthorn will use the run into the finals to gain a settled look to its team, according to superboot Stuart Dew.

The Western Bulldogs made certain of a top-three spot and a qualifying final against the Hawks after defeating Sydney by 16 points at Manuka Oval on Sunday, with Eade indicating afterwards that he would approach the final month like the pre-season competition with an eye on Hawthorn in the first week in September.

"I suppose for both teams it is a bit like playing the NAB Cup the next four weeks and we are heading into Round 1," Eade said. "The win gives us four games clear of fourth (currently Sydney) with four games left and there are a couple of blokes maybe carrying little things, so we are able to get games into players that might be able to help us in September, as well as to refresh the stocks a bit. At least now we can plan for September pretty well."

"We will need to get games into Tim Callan, Callan Ward, maybe Peter Street, Shaun Higgins, and Scott West will hopefully be back about Round 20, 21. So we will need to get them some senior games come finals time because if we need to use them in the finals, they will need some sort of match fitness."

"We don't want to flirt with our form, we want good form going into September. We have four tough games."

But Dew, who slotted straight back into the Hawthorn side after a month on the sidelines with a goal just 30 seconds into its 54-point win over Collingwood on Friday night, said the Hawks would take a different approach to the last four weeks of the season.

"I don't think you want to flirt with your form and think too far ahead," said the 28-year-old, who won a premiership with Port Adelaide in 2004.

"The competition's too good for that. I think sides that have shown no respect to lesser sides have been found out. So we look forward to the next four weeks trying to settle the side and get our performance right and our match play right."

"I think when you start looking too far ahead that's when you can get injured if you take it a little bit easier or guys get complacent. That's definitely not what you want at this time of the year."

"If that's how they (the Western Bulldogs) want to prepare for it, that's up to them. But like we have all year, we worry about our own preparation and who we come up against in the week coming up to that game."

Dew, who was lured out of a 12-month retirement by Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson, admitted he was frustrated by the hamstring problems that have limited him to just eight games this season but was hopeful a solid training block over the past month would keep him on the park for the rest of the year.

"I'm very grateful for the faith of the selection panel to put me straight back in. I was probably lucky with Ossie (Michael Osborne) not coming up, I probably would have had a game at Box Hill but you take your chances," he said.

"Especially in a successful side they don't like to change a winning team so hopefully coming into finals we can start to settle it down."

Dew said veteran Shane Crawford had pulled up well after Friday night's game and was almost certain to play his 300th match against the Brisbane Lions at Aurora Stadium on Saturday.

"It'll be an exciting time not only for him, but for the club and his family," Dew said.

"I don't think you'll see too many players get to 300 these days

noosa hawk mad

6 Aug 2008, 17:38

http://bigpondvideo.com/HawthornTV/69605
Dew Interview Round 18!:thumbsu:

mick

27 Aug 2008, 11:40

http://afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=66380

AFL news
Hawks' Dew for leadership role
Catherine Murphy
10:39 AM Wed 27 August, 2008

Stuart Dew will give Hawthorn's leadership group a premier perspective

HAWTHORN has made a change to its leadership group in the quest for premiership glory this September, adding its only flag-winning player Stuart Dew to the group.

Dew, 29, won a premiership with Port Adelaide in 2004, and defender Brent Guerra says he will be able to provide invaluable insight as the team prepares for its assault on the finals.

“They’ve put him in the leadership group over the past few weeks just to give some advice about finals footy and how to go about things,” Guerra said.

“He’ll be important for the next few weeks for us…Dewy’s our only premiership medalist so it’s good to have him in there.”

However before finals kick in, the Hawks have one outstanding piece of business to attend to: Buddy’s ton.

The Hawks forward is only two goals off the century and Guerra says being on the field for Fraser Gehrig’s 100th goal with the Saints in 2004 has given him an insight on how to deal with a possible field invasion.

“I’ve got a couple of mates who are going to run straight to me so I’m more worried about what they’re going to do,” he laughed.

“It will be great for Buddy to kick a hundred. I played in the game when Fraser Gehrig kicked a hundred in the final against Port Adelaide and that probably wrecked the game with everybody running on, so I’m glad that Buddy’s going to kick his in the home and away season.”

mick

8 Sep 2008, 11:09

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24305788-19767,00.html

Dew happy to be back
Glenn McFarlane | September 07, 2008 12:00am

STUART Dew, the only premiership player on Hawthorn's list, says the club's attitude and commitment to work together mirrors that of his former club, Port Adelaide, in its flag-winning season.
While acknowledging the Hawks have a long way to go in their quest for the club's first premiership in 17 years, Dew is thrilled to be a part of September action for the first time in three years.

"I think at this point all you can compare is the attitude (of the two teams he has played for) and I think our attitude is right," Dew said after the club's 51-point demolition of the Western Bulldogs in Friday night's qualifying final.

"It comes back to how far you want to go in September. You have to take small steps first and we had to tick this first box. We have got over the first step, we have a few more to go, but that's what we are working on."

Describing Lance Franklin's eight-goal performance as "awesome" and praising the hard work and determination of players such as Brad Sewell and Luke Hodge, Dew said the bonus for the Hawks was the fact they were a very even team.

Dew spoke to teammates this week about his own finals experience with Port Adelaide.

"We had been a bit complacent at Port Adelaide in some early finals, and we paid the price," Dew said. "So (Hawthorn) really set ourselves for this game, and I know that we will really set ourselves for the next one, regardless of who are playing.

"You can't get too far ahead of yourselves. Now that we have got this result, you have to put it all to bed. This game is gone, so you can't dwell on it because no one is going to remember it in a few weeks' time."

The 29-year-old was a key member of Port Adelaide's 2004 premiership team before he retired prematurely from the game two years later, saying he was mentally spent. But the Hawks opted to gamble by picking Dew at No.45 in last year's draft, after which he had shed about 20kg to return to AFL standard condition.

Dew has played 13 games this season, mainly as a running half-back, and paid tribute to the support of club's coaching staff.

Lampooned early in the pre-season for his bulky appearance, Dew has managed to silence most of the critics and hopes to be able to go one step further when he gets a full pre-season under his belt.

"I am not playing the footy that I would like to yet, but I am trying my best," he said. "I don't really have to come up with anything special. I just have to do the simple things.

"I feel mentally fresh again, from where I was a year or so ago when I was shot. Coming over here has been a new challenge for me, meeting a new group and to try to earn their respect has been good for me."

Dew praised coach Alastair Clarkson and the support staff for taking a gamble on him and giving him a chance to cement his spot in the powerful Hawthorn side.

"I don't know if I have quite cemented it yet, but the faith from the coaching staff has been fantastic," he said.

RustyHawk

23 Sep 2008, 18:01

2008 Brownlow Medal votes: 1

noosa hawk mad

28 Sep 2008, 09:44

Deceptive in body, Dew finally gets to repay Clarkson's faith in him

Michael Gleeson | September 28, 2008

IT BEGAN speculatively. Just an ambit claim, a quiet musing that germinated into one of the most inspired tactical premiership decisions. But it was a decision made last September, not this.
The moment came when Alastair Clarkson dwelt on what he needed for his young side and settled on the name Stuart Dew.

A phone call was made and Dew was interested but blunt in his reply to the club that he was a way from match-fit — quite a way. They scarcely bothered with the scales to record just how heavy. He was more than 120 kilograms, so why keep counting? The point was not how heavy he was then nor how light he could become, the test was whether he could get fit enough to play.

"It would be upwards of 20 (kilograms shed). I had a pretty good footy trip for about nine months. It was good times and hopefully now I am about three or four years away from that again," Dew said.
Yesterday was a crowning moment of vindication for Clarkson and Dew, not only in that he formed part of the winning side, but that he was indeed central to it.

He did it yesterday in a fashion that suggested how deceptive looks are, even in elite sport. Dew brings something of the irresistible appeal of Shane Warne to football. Warne, too, was built for comfort at times, yet performed when needed.
Dew began in defence but when Trent Croad went down and the Hawks were left with two on the bench for most of the second half, all positions became random and rotated.

After a knock to the back in the third term, Dew went to full-forward and was one of the men to turn the game.
It might have been his implied pressure that made Harry Taylor fumble at half-back, but it was certainly Dew that converted it on the scoreboard.

Moments later, he harassed the ball into Mark Williams' hands with contest after contest. Then he made good Buddy Franklin's hustle in the pocket and converted it for the goal that gave the Hawks the five-goal lead that had most accepting that finally Hawthorn's pluck would actually be sustained.

"I was battling a bit there in the second quarter. I went forward and sometimes the ball just falls in your lap and you just try and do the job," Dew said.
Dew can scarcely consider how his life has changed in 12 months and praised those who sought to back him in. They, too, were anxious to praise him.

List manager Chris Pelchen, the architect of much there is to like about the Hawthorn list, defers to Clarkson for the decision on Dew, and to Dew himself for getting himself fit to play again.

Football manager Mark Evans noted the player's impact in the group over the past six weeks, not just the third quarter.
"I was always going to be that we didn't need to get 22 games out of

Stuart Dew plus finals, it was about getting enough games out of him at the right time," Evans said.
Dew recognised better than most what he had been brought in to do and assumed that leadership role when it mattered: in that final month galvanising an impressionable group; taking command in the third quarter, but also quietly, respectfully observing them before the game and being confident that this focused and determined group was ready.

"We knew something special was on in the rooms (beforehand). We were well set for this, prepared well, knew our routine, kept our structures. We knew what we had to do to win the game and we knew it wasn't going to happen in the first half," Dew said.
It is a drive within the group that has him keen not to let his fitness slip again. He plans to play on for several more years and is even excited about joining some of the running groups his body was ill-prepared for this year.

Premiership wins, even at different clubs, he reckoned were equally special and not worthy of being compared.
Yesterday did not devalue his feeling for Port Adelaide, nor the fact he had been at Port undermine his passion for the Hawks now.

"You just enjoy the group you are with, you get bonded for life, no different to the Port guys," Dew said. "I am still in contact with them.
"It doesn't matter who it is with, you realise you have achieved something special."

noosa hawk mad

28 Sep 2008, 09:53