Errol Gulden chats Chad Warner’s recent house purchase in Perth amid trade speculation

Errol Gulden says he will try and play his role in keeping Chad Warner at Sydney and discusses the star’s recent house purchase in Perth.

Swans midfielder Errol Gulden is doing his bit to try and keep teammate Chad Warner in Sydney as news of a house purchase in Perth fuelled rumours of a move back to Western Australia at the end of the season.

Off-contract later this year, 23-year-old Warner has been widely linked with a shift back to his home state to play with either West Coast or Fremantle. That intensified in the last week with confirmation the All-Australian midfielder had purchased a million-dollar property in Perth.

Gulden cheekily suggested that the property was nothing more than a “holiday house” for Warner, but conceded that he has been in his teammate’s ear regularly to convince him to keep the home for the occasional visit only.

Gulden is doing what he can to try and keep Warner in Sydney long-term. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“(It) looks like a nice pad,” Gulden said.

“At the end of the day, it’s Chad’s decision what he wants to do. 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? You’ve got to make hay while the sun shines. He’ll work through that with the club, his family his partner and his mates.

“Hopefully, we can have some sort of impact on him and hopefully he makes that decision that means he stays here. It’s obviously going to play out throughout the year and it’s something we’ve got to be aware of as well and not put too much pressure on.”

Chad Warner oh my goodness 😱#AFLSwansPiespic.twitter.com/HlbgsCiqvF

— AFL (@AFL) August 9, 2024

It was a similar story for Gulden 12 months earlier when he was also off-contract and being chased by numerous clubs around the competition.

While he suggested the constant speculation did affect him slightly at the start of the 2024 season, he’s confident that it won’t have an impact on Warner if the negotiations drag on into the year.

As he enters the final year of his contract with the Swans, Gulden is confident the speculation won’t impact Warner’s form. Picture: Adam Trafford/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“I think he’s wired differently, Chaddy, so he certainly won’t let it affect his footy,” Gulden said.

“I was kind of going through something similar last year. Probably not quite to the extent of Chad. Obviously, I’m from Sydney and my contract was sorted pretty quickly.

“It definitely plays on your mind and you’re thinking about it a fair bit. I feel like it probably affected my football at the start of last season, whether or not I was able to see it, I think it definitely did deep down.

“It’s also players who have had their best seasons under contract years as well. Some boys kind of thrive in that environment.

“I love playing with him, he’s one of my best mates. I just want to see him be happy. At least he’s got a pretty nice pad now too.”

The understanding at the Swans is that Warner still hasn’t completely made up his mind. He is a popular member of the squad and there is a strong pull for him to remain in Sydney to play footy with some of his closest mates.

One of Dean Cox’s most important tasks in his first year as coach is convincing Warner to stay. Picture: Phil Hillyard

However, if Warner remains in the red and white it is accepted it will be for less money than what he could receive elsewhere. The Swans also have other players off-contract this season that they will have to negotiate with this year such as Academy product Braeden Campbell, young midfielder Angus Sheldrick and experienced players like Jake Lloyd and Lewis Melican.

As the speculation continues to mount, Gulden believes Warner won’t be pressured into making a decision.

“I don’t think any amount of questions is going to really impact what he wants to do,” Gulden said.

“It’s part of sport, isn’t it? Whether he decides to stay or go, it’s up to him. It’s pretty obvious what everyone in this building wants him to do, but it’s a decision he has to make.

“We’ve got bigger things to think about, I guess he does in terms of longevity and where he wants to live … as well.

“Maybe it was just an investment (property) for him. Who knows?”

Originally published as Errol Gulden chats Chad Warner’s recent house purchase in Perth amid trade speculation