SYDNEY star Errol Gulden has conceded the uncertainty of his unsigned contract affected his on-field performance last season, as teammate Chad Warner weighs up his own playing future in 2025.
Warner is set to attract multi-million dollar offers from both Western Australian clubs this year as they attempt to lure the All-Australian product, who is out of contract at the end of the season, home to Perth.
Gulden said he and the rest of the Swans set-up will try to convince Warner to stay in Sydney, but added the club won’t put undue pressure on him as he weighs up the life-altering decision.
“It looks like a nice pad … nice holiday house for him,” Gulden smirked before later adding with a smile “maybe it was just an investment (property) for him, who knows?”
“I’m certainly doing my best (to convince him to stay) but it’s Chad’s decision.
“I’ll be nibbling away at him throughout the year, don’t worry about that. But we play football for a small part of our lives, and everyone’s got an individual decision to make – what’s best for you, what’s best for your family.
“It’s entirely up to Chad. It’s going to be wrong for me to stand here and make rash comments when he’s got his process he’ll go through.
“He’s wired differently, Chaddy. He certainly won’t let it affect his footy.
“I love playing with him, he’s one of my best mates. I just want to see him be happy – and at least he’s got a pretty nice pad now, too.”
Gulden went through a similar situation during his contract year last season, although the Sydneysider did not have the go-home factor attached to Warner’s decision.
The 22-year-old did not seem fazed by the speculation as he stormed to his second All-Australian blazer, but he admitted on Tuesday the decision had weighed on him.
“It definitely plays on your mind, and you think about it a fair bit,” he said.
“I feel like it probably affected my football at the start of last season; whether or not you were able to see it, I think it definitely did deep down.
“But it’s a personal thing. There’s also been some boys who’ve had their best seasons in contract years and some boys thrive in that environment. It’s for the individual, but I was pretty glad when mine was finished though.”
