It may only be early December and still 85 days from the 2026 AFL season opener.
But star Sydney Swans midfielder Errol Gulden has already seen enough to know new recruit Charlie Curnow shapes as a premiership difference maker, likening the two-time Coleman Medalist to legendary Swans forward Lance Franklin.
“His (Curnow’s) training has been amazing,” Gulden said from Sydney’s pre-season session on Wednesday.
“I’ve been absolutely blown away with how hard he trains to be honest—the impact he’s made in such a short time has been really pleasing.”
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“He’s absolutely bought in and he’s been great value off the field as well, contributing a lot in our meetings and with our cultural stuff too,” Gulden continued.
“One of the reasons he said he wanted to come here was the Bloods’ culture and he’s already contributing to that massively.”
Rather than taking time to ease gently into his new club environment, Gulden said the Swans senior playing group has been impressed with Curnow’s willingness to get involved and provide input to his teammates from day one.
“He’s come in and he’s telling us what he wants, where he wants the ball to go, how he wants us to deliver the ball to him inside the 50,” Gulden revealed.
“I guess similar to Lance (Franklin) he’s just a massive presence, a big unit, so seeing him come out of the square is pretty good.”
‘Hopefully we’re going to have a four-headed monster’ says Gulden
Gulden also pointed to the impact Curnow is already having on the Swans’ other key forwards.
“The work he’s been doing with the other guys is great and hopefully we’re going to have a four-headed monster in 2026,” he said.
“Most weeks Charlie will have the opposition’s best defender, so that will do wonders for the other forwards.”
Asked about the opening round fixture list which sees the Swans come up against Curnow’s former side Carlton in a Thursday night blockbuster on March 5 at the SCG, Gulden laughed.
“It was always going to happen wasn’t it,” Gulden said, before revealing he’s kept in touch with his former Swans teammates Will Hayward and Ollie Florent who went the other way to the Blues as Curnow headed north.
“To play against Will and Ollie will be interesting, but any game you get to play against Carlton, a big club, big night game, and to open the season, it’s one you pencil into the diary.”