• Eade out: 'Not even close on' win-loss ratio

THE SYDNEY Swans are open to the possibility of losing highly rated assistant coach Stuart Dew and will support the leading contender if he is sounded out by Gold Coast for its senior position.

Dew is contracted to the Swans until the end of 2018 and he committed to not chasing senior opportunities at the end of last season as the Swans pushed into their third Grand Final in five years.

Twelve months on and he is likely to be approached by the Suns to apply for the senior position made vacant by Rodney Eade and will not face any contractual barriers.

Meanwhile, it was confirmed on Tuesday night that Carlton assistant coach John Barker was yet to sign a mooted two-year contract extension with the Blues.  

Who will replace Rodney Eade at the Suns?

Barker is the early front-runner for the Suns' position after running second to Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan last year, and had come to terms with the Blues for a new deal starting November 1.

That deal had not been signed off and would have been voided anyhow if Barker won a senior position.

Coaching sources suggested Barker had grown as a candidate in the past 12 months having increased his responsibilities with the Blues and continued mentoring work with Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou. 

Clubs canvassed on Tuesday night with leading assistants, including the Swans, expected the Suns to be respectful in their interview process and provide as little distraction as possible during September.

There is no formal requirement for the Suns to wait until the end of the season to interview candidates, but the expectation among clubs is that Mark Evans will seek permission from a rival club's CEO to speak to their coach.

Both Barker and Dew graduated as inaugural members of the AFL's Level Four course earlier this year.

Dew spoke to Carlton in 2015 about the vacancy eventually won by Brendon Bolton but was quick to pull out of the race, while Barker was also an applicant.