Dean Solomon won't be part of Stuart Dew's coaching staff in 2021. Picture: Adam Trafford/AFL Media

GOLD Coast football manager Jon Haines has vehemently defended the cuts to his department, describing the commentary around them as "ill-informed".

The Suns have shed 14 staff from their football department in the past week, headlined by senior assistant coach Dean Solomon. 

Football greats, past players and commentators leapt to Solomon's defence, claiming a rift between he and coach Stuart Dew, a notion Haines described as "nonsense". 

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"If it wasn't for COVID or the reduction in the football soft cap, we wouldn't be having these discussions," Haines said on Wednesday morning. 

Aside from Solomon, Ash Prescott, Nick Malceski, Andrew Swallow and Justin Koschitzke will finish up from the Suns' coaching group at the end of the season. 

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Welfare boss Shaun Hart has also been moved on, while personnel from IT and property have also lost their jobs. 

Haines said the payout figures bandied around in the past few days were off the mark. 

"They've been ill-informed, and it's put a number of people involved in really difficult personal situations," he said. 

"We certainly wish that didn't occur, but it has. 

"We'll work through each person's individual situation in accordance with their contract. 

"Some are on max term contracts, some are on rolling agreements, but they've all got termination clauses and they've all got notice periods and we'll work in accordance with those.

"The numbers that have been pushed out there are completely inaccurate." 

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Solomon's departure is the most intriguing though after extending his contract at the end of last year by a further three years. 

Matthew Lloyd – a former teammate of Solomon's – said the former Bomber "must have had a falling out with Stuart Dew", while Fox Footy trio Jonathan Brown, Gerard Healy and Garry Lyon all raised eyebrows at the decision. 

Haines said talk of a fracture in the relationship between Dew and Solomon was wrong. 

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"It's a pretty simple, it's complete nonsense, there's no rift," he said. 

"The relationship between all the coaches has been outstanding. They're a terrific bunch of people and they work well together. 

"It's misinformed and it's incorrect."

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