AFL finals: Errol Gulden and mum Bronwyn on supporting Carlton and their Sydney journeys
Former Carlton fans, now entrenched in the Bloods culture. Errol Gulden and mum Bronwyn detail their support for the Blues before changing colours ahead of this Friday’s elimination final.
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It’s been 10 seasons since Carlton’s last finals campaign came to an end thanks to the Sydney Swans.
Inspired by 42 disposals and two goals to co-captain Jarrad McVeigh, the Swans ran away with a 24-point win in the 2013 semi final and unknowingly started the Blues’ decade-long stretch outside of the top eight.
Among the crowd of nearly 40,000 people at Sydney Olympic Park sat future Swans superstar Errol Gulden and his mum, Bronwyn.
And neither were wearing the red and white for which they’re now known.
“I was a massive Carlton fan,” Errol said. “I cried the entire train ride home.”
“He did cry a lot on the train,” Bronwyn added. “I distinctly remember it because I was devastated also.
“He built up some really good resilience by barracking for the Blues as he grew up.”
Bronwyn grew up in Bendigo which during the 1970s and 80s was a designated recruiting zone for the Blues.
She has fond memories of the likes of Geoff Southby and Greg Williams becoming her footy heroes as a kid and that quickly got passed down to Errol.
However, he did have a choice. His father, Ibrahim, was a Cats fan. But Errol ended up following his mum’s side.
“I chose Carlton which probably cost me a couple of premierships as a fan,” Errol said.
“His elder brother, Adam, is a Geelong supporter so it cost him a fair bit in the backyard too,” Bronwyn added.
“The irony is they’re coming up against the Blues on the weekend.”
Any Swans fans concerned about lingering feelings towards his childhood team can rest assured. The moment his name was called by Sydney in the 2020 Draft, his loyalties changed in an instant.
“We’ve always had a soft spot for the Swans because of the Academy, so it was always the second team,” Bronwyn said. “It was difficult because most of the time we came to watch Carlton, it was against the Swans.
“But it was forgotten the minute he was drafted. Game over, there’s been no other team but Sydney. The same for me as well.”
Errol capped off his meteoric rise with a maiden All-Australian blazer last Wednesday and it was just the start of a massive week for the Gulden family.
Bronwyn is an assistant coach for the Swans’ AFLW side who got their first win over the Giants on Sunday – “It’s not been a bad week,” she admitted.
But while many have been surprised with how quickly Errol has become one of the stars of the competition, his mum has had the best view to see just how hard he has worked to get there.
John Longmire mentions frequently how studious he is, but it’s been a trait of the 21-year-olds for some time.
“He’s been a very, very big student of the game,” Bronwyn said. “He watches vision constantly.
“During the Academy, he used to come in and he’d sit with Nick Davis for ages and just go through vision and see where he could get better.”
But ahead of the 2023 season, she noticed something different. Errol wasn’t just content with playing in a grand final and becoming a regular member of the Swans’ best 22. He wanted more.
“He got a bit of a glimpse of, ‘I’m actually not bad’ last year, but he’s never settled for that. He actually wants to be the best at what he does,” she said.
“So he started doing a few things. Got some ideas about his sleep patterns, improved his breathing and then pilates was something that he thought was beneficial.
“He understands that it is sometimes only very, very small margins in the difference between being absolutely elite at what you do.”
Errol has always had incredible ball skills but this season, it’s his fitness that has really stood out from the pack.
He runs as hard in the first minute of the game as he does in the last and all those little improvements have played a role.
“Endurance has always been one of my strengths, being able to run out a game,” Errol said.
“I worked quite hard on it, it’s not something that necessarily came naturally to me. I think it can be an advantage towards the end of quarters and late in games.”
“You can see he’s got a pretty good tank on him,” Bronwyn added.
The focus now for Errol is to consolidate and be consistent with his performance every week.
That process continues with Friday’s elimination final against his former boyhood team.
Bronwyn will be on a 4.30pm flight that day following AFLW training to try and catch the game before she returns on a 7am flight on Saturday where she will head straight to the Swans’ game at North Sydney Oval.
There are still casual reminders of just how early Errol is into his footy journey – “I still see the washing on the floor and think he’s got a fair way to go yet,” Bronwyn said.
But the consensus is that his dedication and professionalism are setting him up for an incredible career to come.
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