In just his third season, Sydney Swans star Errol Gulden was awarded his maiden All-Australian blazer on Wednesday after a stellar 2023 campaign.
As the 21-year-old and the Swans get ready to face the Carlton Blues next weekend in week one of the finals, the midfielder has addressed any speculation regarding securing a long-term contract extension with the club.
Whilst the Swans will lose the key trio of Lance Franklin, Tom Hickey and Paddy McCartin to retirement at the end of the season, the club has re-signed the futures of five first-team players throughout the year. Joel Amartey (2026), Dane Rampe (2025), Angus Sheldrick (2025), Nick Blakey (2031) and Hayden McLean (2027) have all re-signed with the club, with the latter two signing long-term extensions.
Despite not being off-contract until the end of the 2024 season, the Swans will be eager to extend Gulden for the long term. Expected to garner attention from all 17 other teams in the competition, the newly crowned All-Australian is one of the best young players in the competition alongside Collingwood sensation Nick Daicos. A new deal will also see him earn a significant increase in his salary.
"It's not something I worry about at the moment, it's a long, long way away," Gulden said.
"I'm not even halfway through my contract yet, so it's not even something I've considered.
"(I am) fully focused on playing footy at the moment and I'm sure in the off season we'll get to that."
It has previously been reported that initial discussions between the Swans and Gulden have gotten underway, but no pen has been put to paper, yet.
"We've already opened up discussions with Ben Williams [Gulden's agent] about that," Sydney list manager Kinnear Beatson told AFL.com.au's show Gettable last month.
A graduate of the Sydney Swans Academy, Gulden has kicked 20 goals and averaged 27 disposals (19.3 kicks and 7.7 handballs), 10 contested possessions, four total clearances and five marks per game - he had a personal best of 42 touches against finals contenders the Melbourne Demons in the final regular home and away game of the season last week.
Only 21 years old and in his third season of top-flight football, Gulden was selected on the wing in the 2023 All-Australian side. The selection adds another honour to his trophy cabinet after already receiving the Brett Kirk Medal and Carey Bunton Medal - 33 votes ahead of second-place Taylor Walker - this year, and the club's Best First Year Player and Swans' Rising Star Award in 2021.
"(John Longmire) called me at the start of the week to let me know that I was in the actual team (and) I was pretty stoked," he stated on receiving All-Australian honours.
"I wasn't supposed to tell anyone but I obviously told all the boys straight away.
"It was quite a surreal feeling being amongst a lot of those (All-Australian) players last night.
"I came straight from the airport. The boys were warming up and a lot of them came over and gave me a big hug and said congratulations.
โI'm so grateful for my teammates and the role they've played in the past three years. It's the best job in the world and I look forward to doing it every day with them.โ
