Brad Johnson ranks the current best left-foot kicks in the AFL

Is Errol Gulden the best left-foot kick we’ve ever seen?

Western Bulldogs great Brad Johnson thinks that the Sydney wingman would rank highly amongst any left-footer in V/AFL history given how elite he is with his kicks.

While it’s impossible to truly rank who the best ever is, Johnson says he’s in awe of Gulden’s skills on his left as the wingman cuts opposition sides to pieces with surgical precision.

Gulden is currently averaging 20 kicks to go with six handballs a game in 2024 and Johnson believes that his ball use is a big reason behind Sydney’s brilliant 10-1 start to this season.

“Errol Gulden’s left foot caught my attention years ago, like everybody else in the footy world,” Johnson told SEN Sportsday.

“Watching him against the Bulldogs last weekend, I just sit there in awe of how good it looks and how effective it is.

“Any angle he can use with that left foot and the goal he kicked was just sensational.

“It just got me thinking, is he the best left-footer we've ever seen? Technically the way that it looks, the effect of his kicks and how good he is at breaking the opposition back through the corridor … even how quickly his kicks get to where they need to get to.”

Looking at current-day players, Johnson has Gulden on top of a pack that includes some elite left-foot kicks.

He named eight other left-footers who he rates highly and put Port Adelaide half-back Kane Farrell as his next best behind the Swan.

“So, I compiled a little bit of a list. Let's do current-day players… Errol Gulden, we'll sit him up the top,” Johnson said.

“Then there’s Marcus Bontempelli, Jordan Dawson, Zach Merrett, Scott Pendlebury, Braeden Campbell, Kane Farrell from Port Adelaide - who's probably my number two when it comes to left footers and Keidean Coleman … you’ve got to put Nick Blakey on the list.

“Kane Farrell is my number two. I obviously love what the ‘Bont’ does as well, and I love Pendles and his ability in traffic to be able to hit the target on the left.”

Gulden and the ladder-leading Swans are currently enjoying the Round 12 bye. They next face Geelong at the SCG on Sunday, June 9.