Player Watch #21 Errol Gulden - born to play

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Errol Gulden
[Player Profile TBA]

 
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“Happy birthday Errol. As a present we’re going to make you play 98% of the game on the ground, with one of the more demanding positions on the wing.
- Horse

For comparison’s sake, he played 75% and 71% the previous two weeks
 
Gary Lyons say Errol is the best but unlikely to win the rising star

“I don’t think this kid’s going to win the NAB Rising Star, but I think he’s the best of the group and his name’s Errol Gulden,” Lyon told SEN Breakfast.
“I think he’s the best player out of that group. I think he’s a super player.
“I think he’s going to be a really, really good player. His ball-use is superb, his footy-smarts and IQ are through the roof, I think he’s the best of the whole lot.
“He missed a whole chunk of footy so he might not win the Rising Star, but for me I think he’s the best of that group.”


 
Feb 28, 2007
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If he had been 5 cm taller he would have gone top 5 in the draft. And this is pretty much what I heard from a few scouts. He was rated highly it was his height that was always the big question.

The weird thing is that he actually grew in his draft year to the point where his height was no longer a massive downside. I mean he is only 175cm, so still pretty short, but he wasn't the 168cm he started the year with. 175cm really shouldn't have dropped him down the draft order that much, but it seems like the recruiters had pegged him as "too short" and didn't bother to check that he had actually grown.
 

HPKS

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Apr 6, 2012
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The weird thing is that he actually grew in his draft year to the point where his height was no longer a massive downside. I mean he is only 175cm, so still pretty short, but he wasn't the 168cm he started the year with. 175cm really shouldn't have dropped him down the draft order that much, but it seems like the recruiters had pegged him as "too short" and didn't bother to check that he had actually grown.
The ones I spoke to knew he’d grown to being listed as 175cm. It’s still classed on the shortish side. One said to me he still believed he should be top 10. That same scout also said he believed the game had become to focused of big bodies mids and that elite is still elite irrelevant of size and it didn’t matter how big someone is but like he said “I’m a scout I just tell them about the player”.
 
Aug 25, 2008
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Tbh I haven't really noticed many situations where I've thought his height was a disadvantage. I reckon it's actually helped him win a few free kicks, similar to Papley. He looks to have broad shoulders though, could help with winning the contested ball.

He's actually shown a bit of ability overhead despite his size. Took a really nice grab overhead last night on the half forward flank.
 
I've noticed he's been starting in a couple of centre bounces in the centre square in the past 3 weeks - the coaches certainly don't think his short stature is any issue to playing in the middle
 
Feb 28, 2007
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Sydney
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I've noticed he's been starting in a couple of centre bounces in the centre square in the past 3 weeks - the coaches certainly don't think his short stature is any issue to playing in the middle

In the lower leagues he was a midfielder who was more than capable of getting some really big disposal numbers. Now he may not get that at an AFL level but you never know. In a few years time when he builds his tank he could become a midfielder.
 
In the lower leagues he was a midfielder who was more than capable of getting some really big disposal numbers. Now he may not get that at an AFL level but you never know. In a few years time when he builds his tank he could become a midfielder.
oh I think Errol already has tank in term of stamina, TOG.
 

the hypnotoad

Premiership Player
Mar 7, 2021
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In the lower leagues he was a midfielder who was more than capable of getting some really big disposal numbers. Now he may not get that at an AFL level but you never know. In a few years time when he builds his tank he could become a midfielder.

he will be getting much bigger disposal numbers soon enough ... he's simply too good to be kept away from the ball, i'm sure for now it's a matter of the club letting him develop and build strength ...
he already uses the ball much better than many much higher-rated players in the league, who get their hands on it twice as often
 

Kiama Chris

Norm Smith Medallist
May 10, 2016
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Tbh I haven't really noticed many situations where I've thought his height was a disadvantage. I reckon it's actually helped him win a few free kicks, similar to Papley. He looks to have broad shoulders though, could help with winning the contested ball.
He also has solid thighs. Real power through the hips too.
 

GoTheSwannies

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Aug 5, 2009
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“Happy birthday Errol. As a present we’re going to make you play 98% of the game on the ground, with one of the more demanding positions on the wing.
- Horse

For comparison’s sake, he played 75% and 71% the previous two weeks

Not surprised by that, I noticed he made a couple of uncharacteristic errors late in the game and thought to myself he may be spent... TOG confirms that.

Guess that was a little too much for him to take on at this stage, but good for his development nonetheless.
 
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