Gold Coast v Sydney: All the news, intel and key takeaways from AAMI Community Series pre-season match

Sydney superstar Errol Gulden was rushed to a nearby hospital for scans last night after he leg was trapped under a tackle. Here’s the latest from another night full of injuries.

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Sydney is sweating on the result of scans on Errol Gulden’s ankle after the Swans’ superstar winger left the field in the first quarter of Friday night’s Community Series win over Gold Coast.

Gulden was rushed to a nearby hospital for scans on his right ankle after it was trapped under him in a tackle by Suns midfielder Will Graham, with Swans’ assistant Jarrad McVeigh conceding “it didn’t look good”.

“Obviously when a player comes off like that your concerns are heightened,” McVeigh said after the match.

“It didn’t look good but we have to wait on the results.”

While the club believes it’s a serious injury that is expected to keep Gulden out for a while, they will wait until Saturday afternoon to confirm the exact period of time.

Gulden has played every game since Round 13, 2021 – his debut season.

Errol Gulden is helped from the field after injuring his ankle

It was even worse news for the Suns, who lost both Andrew and Ballard in the opening stages.

Andrew lasted less than 30 seconds before leaving the field with chest soreness after a heavy collision with Swans midfielder Taylor Adams.

Ballard, who sat out the previous week’s practice matches against Brisbane and Collingwood, reinjured his right ankle soon after.

He briefly attempted to play on before the Suns pulled the pin.

Making matters worse, veteran David Swallow’s night also ended early after receiving a knock to the knee and midfielder Lachie Weller was arguably the hosts’ best player before exiting with hamstring tightness late in the third quarter.

Gulden’s injury soured an otherwise promising night for the Swans on the Gold Coast, who had left a host of big names back home in Sydney in readiness for the Hawks.

Ruckman Peter Ladhams played just 40 per cent game time after struggling with illness through the week and as a precautionary measure in case Brodie Grundy is not available to face the Hawks after picking up a knock to his knee at training during the week.

“Brodie will hopefully be right for next week but we do need to look after Pete. He’s had a big pre-season and was on limited time tonight and performed quite well,” McVeigh said.

“Hopefully next week we will have more details around Brodie and hopefully he will be right to go.”

Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Dane Rampe and Lewis Melican did not travel with the team to Queensland but McVeigh said the quartet were all “primed and ready to go” for next week.

The Swans’ forward 50 experiment with key defender Tom McCartin looked a masterstroke after he booted a game-high four goals against the Suns on Friday night.

Joel Amartey, right, and Tom McCartin celebrate a Swans goal. Picture: Matt Roberts/AFL Photos

It was the second-straight week the Swans had played McCartin at the opposite end of the ground, however McVeigh said the move was not something the team was “wedded to”.

“He can swing both ends which is great when needed and that might swap week-to-week, we don’t know,” he said.

“It was great to see him get on the scoreboard.

“Obviously with Joel (Amartey) as well who is in quite good form, those two together are a really good combination.

“In the end it will be up to Coxy (head coach Dean Cox) and the coaching staff to work out what is best for the team and best for Tom, but right now we’re really pleased he has provided a big target up there and tonight it was good to see him hit the scoreboard.”

The Swans remained on the Gold Coast overnight and flew back to Sydney on Saturday morning.

ROOKIE WATCH

Spare a thought for Suns’ SSP signing Ben Jepson who played three quarters in the VFL on Friday morning and was then asked to back up with another three quarters after the hosts’ starters began dropping like flies.

He and Suns Academy draftee Lachlan Gulbin both had quiet nights in their bids to stake a claim for an Opening Round spot. But the pair could both still end up debuting against the Bombers should the likes of Swallow and Weller miss through injury.

Mac Andrew’s brother, Riak Andrew, entered the fray for Sydney in the second half and looked lively with some strong intercept possessions – unfortunately only after the Suns’ man had left the field.

In the absence of Tom Papley, Sydney’s 2024 mid-season draftee Tom Hanily played a nice cameo kicking 1.1 from 13 disposals.

Jake Rogers sums up a disappointing performance from the Suns. Picture: Matt Roberts/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

POSITIONAL CHANGES

The Swans might be wondering why they did not try McCartin in attack earlier after the key defender’s star turn inside 50 on Friday night.

The 25-year-old booted a game-high four goals and looked like the most dangerous key forward on the ground, albeit against a depleted Suns backline missing Andrew and Ballard.

A week after Joel Amartey booted six against the Giants, McCartin’s haul will excite the Swans who now look to have multiple tall targets in attack.

James Jordon impressed with 26 disposals and a fourth-quarter goal playing on-ball. He could prove an important player in Sydney’s midfield mix if Gulden is forced to miss a chunk of time.

Mac Andrew came from the ground following this contest.#AFLSunsSwanspic.twitter.com/RDcZ4ZoIwE

— AFL (@AFL) February 28, 2025

NEW RECRUITS

He was a little rusty by foot but Daniel Rioli immediately showed why the Suns were willing to give up a draft haul to prize the dashing defender out of Richmond.

In his first minutes of the pre-season the triple-premiership Tiger was among the Suns’ best, breaking lines and linking well with his new partner in crime John Noble.

Noble was not as flashy but the ex-Pie found plenty of the football and rarely wasted a disposal.

Tempers flare late in the match.

HOT TAKE

Gold Coast is a popular pick to make finals this season and internally the club believes it is ready to make the September leap.

But there had to be more than a few alarm bells ringing after this lacklustre showing against a heavily-depleted Sydney outfit.

Gulden’s exit midway through the first quarter meant the Swans were without he, Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner and Brodie Grundy through the middle for the majority of the contest.

The Suns did lose defensive cornerstones Andrew and Ballard early but it was still a disappointing showing on a night many expected them to flex their muscles.

Premierships are not won or lost in February but Damien Hardwick will expect a much more polished performance against Essendon next Saturday.

Originally published as Gold Coast v Sydney: All the news, intel and key takeaways from AAMI Community Series pre-season match