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September 17, 2026 \u2014 9:10am<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Errol Gulden has always believed in the enduring power of connections at the Sydney Swans. In the third quarter of the qualifying final win against Brisbane<\/a>, he exchanged handballs with childhood friend Braeden Campbell before kicking one of the best goals of his career.<\/p>\n He then looked up and saw two familiar faces cheering at the SCG. Swans 2005 Premiership captain Barry Hall<\/a> was next to his close friend, Gulden\u2019s father, Ibo. Seeing the two together took Gulden back to his childhood.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was really special having him [Hall] there [at the Brisbane game]. He was a very close friend of my Dad, and Barry is a huge part of this football club after what he and the team did in 2005,\u201d Gulden said.<\/p>\n \u201cTo have him there for the game sitting beside Dad, all these years later, that\u2019s the beauty of this football club and the connection it still brings out.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember at three or four years old Barry [Hall] taking me to drag racing at Eastern Creek, and at that age those Swans players were gods to me.<\/p>\n \u201cDad and Barry had a really good friendship. Dad had a few different catering businesses across the city, and I really looked up to so many of those bloods: Leo Barry, Barry and Kirky [Brett Kirk].<\/p>\n \u201cTo be playing now for this football club and having him there to support me with my Dad [Ibo] beside him at the SCG was special.\u201d<\/p>\n Gulden is arguably playing the best football of his career after recovering from a shoulder injury in round one of the home-and-away season.<\/p>\n In his last three games, he has averaged 41 disposals per outing. Most impressively, he stepped up for the Swans in their qualifying final win, a victory achieved without suspended players Issac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon.<\/p>\n Gulden\u2019s first love was soccer, and it remains a passion he shares with Ibo, who was a talented player in his native Turkey \u2013 Gulden still juggles a soccer ball before training sessions and games. <\/p>\n The enduring passion for AFL came from his mother Bronwyn, a native of Bridgewater in central Victoria who went on to become assistant coach of the Swans\u2019 AFLW program.<\/p>\n For Gulden, the Swans\u2019 culture is simple. It\u2019s about sacrificing yourself for the good of the team.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cThe Bloods culture and football to me means sacrifice, work rate and being there for your teammate throughout the game,\u201d Gulden said.<\/p>\n \u201cFinals football isn\u2019t necessarily beautiful handball chains; a lot of the time, it\u2019s being able to keep driving effort after effort for your mates.\u201d<\/p>\n Gulden understands that due to his skill set, every time he takes to the field, he will receive extra attention from opponents. But that attention never bothers him; if anything, he welcomes it. He knows the opposition is freeing up space for other Swans to shine around him.<\/p>\n \u201cI think you\u2019ve got to take it as a compliment [getting tagged], but we have a lot of talented people around me too,\u201d Gulden said,<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I play, I\u2019m never really thinking about personal statistics, like goals or disposals; I\u2019m thinking about far more simple things, like keeping my eyes up at stoppages and being connected to my teammates, that\u2019s really what I value…<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s never just about one individual player; it can\u2019t be. I will just continue to do my job the best way I can.\u201d <\/p>\n Gulden wants to eventually captain the Swans. But for the moment, he\u2019s content to learn from others, including stand-in skipper Dane Rampe ahead of facing Fremantle on Friday night with a spot in the grand final going to the winner<\/a>.<\/p>\n At 24, Gulden is already reaching lofty peaks in his playing career that few predicted when he was taken by the Swans with the 32nd pick in the 2020 draft. He is focused on developing off the field as a leader to become a better teammate.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cYou evolve as a leader. I remember coming into the club when I was just drafted, and you\u2019re at the bottom, and you\u2019re just learning,\u201d Gulden said.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, I want to be the best leader I can be on and off the field, so that shows up in my actions. How I speak to someone, the difficult things like giving direct feedback.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve learned from so many great leaders in the football club, Cal [Mills], but also my coaches in Coxy and Horse [John Longmire] before them. They have all shaped the leader I want to try to be.\u201d<\/p>\n News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Friday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Sydney](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/a8154c6c8c6e82019e11d89b60139be3674748ce.jpeg\")
Sydney Swans star Errol Gulden. Sam Mooy<\/p>\n![\"Errol](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/e2d359f75ed10ff4507cba905a94a259b12ef748.jpeg\")
Errol Gulden celebrates his goal in the qualifying final against Brisbane.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Tom](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/f7e5d65e62b1e3804768b407861eb2ff7f7667da.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Childhood](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/5d7be8d55c2756a1e57ceffce6db1c4596dd64e5.jpeg\")
Childhood friends Errol Gulden and Braeden Campbell.Dion Georgopoulos<\/p>\n![\"Logan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ca88039d3cb646ed99a11524c672a153654d5590.jpeg\")
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