‘My guts aren’t too good’: Gulden says pain meds have taken toll on him
By Roy Ward
Swans star Errol Gulden has pledged his side will do everything they can to get the team back in the finals in 2026.
Gulden wasn’t using injuries as an excuse and he said he felt terrible despite tonight’s win over West Coast as the season was finishing far too early.
Errol Gulden of the Swans runs with the ball.Credit: AFL Photos
“This is not where this footy club wants to be, we don’t usually finish the season now, and I’m super disappointed,” Gulden said.
“Tonight was a reflection of our season as we were poor in the first half, and it took a rocket from Coxy at half-time to get us going. Then we did respond.
“The positive is that we have time off now, and then we will hopefully have a really good training block before Christmas and get this club back up where it should be and that’s playing finals.”
Gulden also revealed that he was still having problems with his ankle and the pain management had taken a toll on his stomach.
“I’m still battling a little bit of pain, and I’m pretty keen to get off the anti-inflammatories for a few weeks as my guts aren’t too good,” Gulden told Fox Footy.
“It’s been a different year personally and I’ve learned a lot. Hopefully I get my ankle right over the break and [I’ll] be ready for pre-season training.
We will be back tomorrow with a special Sunday AFL blog as the Western Bulldogs and Fremantle put their finals futures on the line.
Please join us tomorrow afternoon.
Until then, bye for now.
‘We have to improve’: Cox wants more talent at Swans
Sydney coach Dean Cox wants more talent on his list next season and he didn’t deny the club would be looking for a key forward.
Cox was asked post game whether the rise of Jack Buller and the promising futures of Logan McDonald and Joel Amartey meant the team already had enough key-forward talent.
Jack Buller of the Swans celebrates a goal.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
The Swans have been linked with chasing a star forward this off-season, including Charlie Curnow despite the Carlton superstar telling media in recent weeks that he would remain at the Blues in 2026.
“We’ve got some talent on our list but our job from here is to make sure we have as much [talent] on our list as we can,” Cox said.
“Specific areas or players? Now is the time that we can dive into that.
“We need to make sure that we are continually improving because we are not playing in two weeks time [finals], so we have to improve.”
Slow-starting Swans cop a big spray in win over Eagles
Sydney coach Dean Cox has delivered a huge spray as the Swans overcame a sluggish first half to post a crushing 67-point win over wooden spooners West Coast at Optus Stadium.
Saturday night’s match marked the first time Cox, a 290-game premiership champion of West Coast, had come up against his former club as a senior coach.
Dean Cox addresses the players.Credit: AFL Photos
He cut an angry figure with his team trailing 20-7 at quarter time, and the Swans still trailed by seven points at half-time in what was shaping as a huge boilover.
But a 13-goals-to-one second half from Sydney turned the contest on its head, with the 10th-placed Swans running out 18.10 (118) to 7.9 (51) winners to finish 2025 with a 12-11 record.
West Coast (1-22) end the season with just one win to their name for the first time in the club’s history.
Errol Gulden (36 disposals, two goals, 648 metres gained), Isaac Heeney (26 disposals, 10 clearances, one goal) and Tom Papley (27 disposals, three goals) led the way for Sydney, while Jack Buller kicked a career-high three majors.
For the Eagles, Tim Kelly continued his strong late-season form with 24 disposals and seven clearances, while emerging star Jobe Shanahan kicked three goals.
West Coast entered the season nursing the weakest list in the league, and they finished their campaign missing their five most important players – Harley Reid, Jeremy McGovern, Jake Waterman, Oscar Allen and Elliot Yeo – plus key defender Harry Edwards.
Eagles defender Reuben Ginbey was subbed out in the second quarter after injuring his right knee in what at first sight looked like a horrific injury.
The 20-year-old was left writhing in pain on the turf after his right leg cannoned into the head of teammate Matt Flynn as he somersaulted into an airborne contest.
Remarkably, Ginbey was able to return later in the term, but was clearly in pain and was soon subbed out.
West Coast started the game with a bang, kicking the opening three goals via Bailey Williams, Jamie Cripps and Shanahan on the back of intense pressure and high-class marking.
Eagles star Liam Ryan.Credit: Getty Images
Sydney were on track to be held goalless in the first quarter until Hayden McLean kicked a goal after the siren following a turnover from Liam Ryan.
Cox delivered an almighty spray to his group at quarter-time, and the Swans responded with the first two goals of the second term.
The Eagles refused to wilt, and by the 21-minute mark of the second term, they had won seven holding-the-ball free kicks for the match compared to Sydney’s none.
Shanahan and Flynn kicked goals to give West Coast a seven-point edge at half-time, but the third term was all one-way traffic as Sydney’s ball movement from defence cut West Coast to shreds in a six-goals-to-nil blitz.
The Swans delivered more pain in the final quarter to blow out the final margin beyond 10 goals.
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Grundy should be All-Australian: Papley
Sydney star Tom Papley has called on All-Australian selectors to make sure Brodie Grundy is in the side following his exceptional season.
Grundy is expected to battle with Max Gawn and Tristan Xerri for the ruck role but Papley thinks Grundy should be the clear winner.
Brodie Grundy lurks over Eagle Tim Kelly.Credit: AFL Photos
“He’s a lock isn’t he? If he isn’t then those selectors need to have a look at themselves,” Papley told Fox Footy.
Papley echoed the sentiments of other Swans players that this season was disappointing and they needed to get back into the finals in 2026.
“We are a bit disappointed we are not in finals – as a club we play finals most years and I know we had injuries this year but we didn’t play like we wanted to play most of the year, and we have to look at that,” Papley said.
“I’m just starting to get in my work now because I only played eight or nine games. I can’t wait to get back next year.
“We want to use our hands a bit more and play fast with the footy.”
Full-time stats
‘My guts aren’t too good’: Gulden says pain meds have taken toll on him
By Roy Ward
Swans star Errol Gulden has pledged his side will do everything they can to get the team back in the finals in 2026.
Gulden wasn’t using injuries as an excuse and he said he felt terrible despite tonight’s win over West Coast as the season was finishing far too early.
Errol Gulden of the Swans runs with the ball.Credit: AFL Photos
“This is not where this footy club wants to be, we don’t usually finish the season now, and I’m super disappointed,” Gulden said.
“Tonight was a reflection of our season as we were poor in the first half, and it took a rocket from Coxy at half-time to get us going. Then we did respond.
“The positive is that we have time off now, and then we will hopefully have a really good training block before Christmas and get this club back up where it should be and that’s playing finals.”
Gulden also revealed that he was still having problems with his ankle and the pain management had taken a toll on his stomach.
“I’m still battling a little bit of pain, and I’m pretty keen to get off the anti-inflammatories for a few weeks as my guts aren’t too good,” Gulden told Fox Footy.
“It’s been a different year personally and I’ve learned a lot. Hopefully I get my ankle right over the break and [I’ll] be ready for pre-season training.
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FT: Sydney 18.10 (118) d West Coast 7.9 (51)
The Swans rode an Errol Gulden masterclass and a 13-goal second half to a thumping win over West Coast Eagles in Perth.
Gulden showed yet again how much his side missed him during his 12-week stint on the sidelines as he notched up 36 possessions and two goals while a host of Swans thrived as a result including Tom Papley, Nick Blakey, Brodie Grundy and several others.
The Eagles were strong in the first half and led at the main change but they couldn’t keep up. A knee injury to Reuben Ginbey just added to the disappointment.
Grundy jumped up to tap out a Liam Ryan kick after the siren that would have been a goal. The Swans weren’t in the mood to give anything away.
Jobe Shanahan of the Eagles is tackled by James Rowbottom of the Swans.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Blakey finishes with a party trick
The Swans are putting on a clinic in this final term. Nick Blakey had the ball deep in the pocket and decided to dribble it through. It rolled truly for the Swans star.
Swans 118, Eagles 51 with two mins to go.
Rowbottom kicks his second
James Rowbottom has had a heap of tackles tonight and now has kicked two goals.
He’s a reliable, valuable player for the Swans as they look to bounce back up the ladder next season.
Swans 100, Eagles 51 with four mins to go.
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Heeney boots another goal
The Swans are toying with the Eagles now and the young home side look ready to go into the off-season after such a torrid campaign.
That’s 37 goals to Heeney this season.
Swans 88, Eagles 51 with six mins to go.
Isaac Heeney of the Swans marks the ball against Luca Grego of the Eagles.Credit: Getty Images
