Errol Gulden during the round one match between Sydney and Brisbane at the SCG, March 14, 2026. Picture: Getty Images

SYDNEY star Errol Gulden will undergo shoulder surgery this week and is set to miss the bulk of the 2026 season in a big blow for the Swans. 

The club confirmed the gun midfielder will miss four months of football after suffering a dislocated shoulder in the Swans' round one win over Brisbane.

The 23-year-old will undergo surgery this week, ruling him out until at least July.

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"Sydney Swans midfielder Errol Gulden sustained a dislocated shoulder on Saturday night against Brisbane," the Swans said in a statement on Monday.

"Gulden will have surgery later this week. He is expected to be unavailable for approximately four months of football."

Gulden was crunched in a tackle from Lion Lincoln McCarthy during the fourth quarter of Saturday night's match, hitting the turf hard and immediately wincing in pain.

He was helped from the field by medical staff and went down to the rooms for further assessment, returning a short time later in a tracksuit and sitting out the game on the bench.

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Gulden was sidelined until round 15 last year after suffering a serious ankle injury in a practice match.

The Swans Academy product wasn't the only Swan to finish the game on the bench on Saturday night, with fellow midfielder Isaac Heeney leaving the field in the last quarter with hamstring tightness.

Heeney took himself from the contest after feeling tightness in his right leg, with club staff initially telling him to stay on the ground but he refused.

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The Swans are yet to confirm the extent of Heeney's injury, but speaking post-match, Swans coach Dean Cox was optimistic.

"He came out of the centre bounce and felt his hamstring, and it was something that we don't want to risk at all," Cox said on Saturday night.

"We'll assess it in the next couple of days ... and work out if there is any damage and if there is, what is it? If not, then great, he'll get on the plane and go to (face) Hawthorn."