Sydney Swans star Errol Gulden jokes Chad Warner’s purchase of a Perth home will make ‘a nice holiday house’

Sydney midfielder Errol Gulden has joked that Chad Warner’s purchase of a lavish home in Perth will be “a nice holiday house for him” as speculation mounts over the in-demand star’s future. Warner, 23, is yet to sign a contract extension with the Swans beyond the end of this season and has been linked to both West Coast and Fremantle next year. Fuelling rumours he could seek a trade home to Western Australia, Warner recently bought a $2.9 million riverside property in Applecross. The sale was put through earlier this month. Despite joking that the “nice pad” could be nothing more than a “holiday house” for the All-Australian, Gulden conceded he would be urging Warner to stay in Sydney. “At the end of the day, it’s Chad’s decision what he wants to do,” Gulden said. “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. “It’s entirely up to Chad... He’ll work through that with the club, his family, with 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.” Warner, who has played 85 games for the Swans including the losing 2022 and 2024 grand finals, was spotted playing golf with Eagles officials during the off-season in November. The West Australian’s The Snitch column also reported during last season Warner and his partner had spent time at a luxurious Perth hotel courtesy of Fremantle. While new Swans coach Dean Cox declared securing his signature beyond 2025 is his “top priority”, Gulden believes Warner won’t be pressured into a decision. “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 him,” he said. “It’s a very personal thing. it’s your future, it’s your life, it’s where you live or don’t live. It’s who you play for and he has to make a decision based on that. “I think he’s wired differently, Chaddy, so he certainly won’t let it affect his footy. 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.” Gulden last year extended his contract with the club until the end of 2028. But he admits the situation was different for him, with Warner hailing from WA. “I was kind of going through something similar last year. Probably not quite to the extent of Chad,” he said. “Obviously, I’m from Sydney and my contract was sorted pretty quickly but 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. “There are also players who have had their best seasons under contract years as well. Some boys kind of thrive in that environment. It’s down to the individual.”