The injury fallout from the Swans’ Friday night pre-season clash against the Gold Coast Suns is set to be significant, with superstar midfielder Errol Gulden potentially in line for a lengthy stint on the sidelines.
Gulden left the field early in the game, his ankle caught under him in an awkward tackle against the Suns’ Will Graham – with immediate speculation from the commentators that the dual All-Australian suffered a syndesmosis injury. This would rule him for several weeks, almost certainly missing the season opener.
However, after the star was sent to the hospital for scans, concerns have grown as to the severity of the injury, with AAP and Yahoo reporting that Gulden could spend a much longer period on the sidelines.
While the Swans are still to officially confirm how long his stint will be, Sen‘s Sam Edmund believes the injury is far worse than first thought.
“The Swans expect Errol Gulden to be sidelined for months, not weeks,” Edmund said on X.
“The midfielder was taken last night to a Gold Coast hospital for scans on his left ankle. Shapes as another huge blow in a pre-season of injury carnage.”
Errol’s injury caps off a match of carnage, with Gold Coast players Mac Andrew (sternum), Charlie Ballard (ankle), David Swallow (knee) and Lachie Weller (hamstring) also taken out of the game.
“Obviously when a player comes off like that, your concerns are heightened,” Swans assistant coach Mark McVeigh said of Gulden.
“It didn’t look good, but we have to wait on the scan results.”
Earlier on Friday, Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli (calf) and star Port Adelaide midfielder Zack Butters (knee surgery) were confirmed as being out of action for at least six weeks.
Following this run of injuries, there has been plenty of talk about whether the pre-season schedule has contributed to more injuries than usual.
The season will start next Thursday night when reigning premiers Brisbane host Geelong at the Gabba, while Sydney play Hawthorn the following evening at the SCG.
Suns coach Damien Hardwick said the structure of pre-season games needs more work.
“We have to get a a bit better and it’s hard, because round zero comes in and then some sides have two weeks off,” Hardwick told Fox Footy after the Sydney game.
“We need to put our heads together and figure out what we can do, and get a little bit tighter.
“Sydney can’t get home tonight and they play next Friday, they’re stuck here.
“We just have to get this scheduling better. They have one job, the AFL, let’s get it sorted out.”
But McVeigh said Sydney were pleased with how their pre-season had gone.
“We feel like we’ve had a pretty good run-in,” he said.
While Gulden is a big worry, Sydney will regain stars such as Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner and Dane Rampe for next week’s opener.
They fielded an undermanned side on Friday night, with Tom McCartin’s four goals the big highlight.
McCartin has played previously as a key defender and McVeigh said he could go back to that role, depending on what the team needs.
“That might swap week-to-week, we don’t know,” McVeigh said.
“I don’t think we’re entirely settled on where he’ll play.”
with AAP
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