Where Are they Now – Corey Gault

Corey Gault's WAFL career might have been cut short when he was at the peak of his powers, but across 79 games with Swan Districts he had an outstanding impact including winning two Swan Medals, and he remains a big supporter of the club to this day.

Gault came through the ranks at Swan Districts an exciting young key position player and was snapped up by Collingwood in the 2011 AFL Draft.

He would end up spending the next five years with the Magpies and did play six AFL matches across that time before it came to an end following the 2016 season, and he returned home to Swan Districts.

Gault would make an immediate impact back in the WAFL with Swan Districts and you could make a strong case that over the next four years he was the best player in the competition.

Having spent most of his time with Collingwood as a key forward, he slotted into the ruck position with Swan Districts and thrived starting in that 2017 season where he would go on to win the Swan Medal as the club's fairest and best for the first time.

He won another Swan Medal in the shortened COVID season of 2020, but then it was concussions that brought a premature end to his career with one suffered in Round 15 of 2021 ending up being what would end his playing days.

Gault did attempt to continue playing in 2022, but ultimately he never felt right and he had to put his health first having suffered as many as 10 concussions in his playing days and retired as a 29-year-old having played 79 WAFL matches with the black-and-whites.

Tough decision to retire

While at the end of the day, Gault had to put his health first and retire following that last concussion, it doesn’t mean it's been easy especially knowing he retired before his 30th birthday and knowing how much potential football he had still in front of him in an ideal world.

"It certainly has been a tough few years and it ebbs and flows throughout the year. Particularly during exciting times such as round one or finals," Gault said.

"As much as I enjoy seeing the boys doing well and having success, I do find I hard not being a part of it at times. I am definitely content with where I am at now and have embraced the next phase of my life."

Making the difficult call

While in some ways it was a hard decision to decide to retire when he did, at the same time it was an easy decision when Gault had to weigh up whether or not he wanted to give himself the best chance of suffering no ill-effects from those concussions the rest of his life.

"When making the decision to retire I made sure that I put my health first," he said.

"Even though football was a massive part of my life it is not the only part, and I want to continue to live a long and happy life and be able to enjoy it with loved ones.

"So up until now I haven’t experienced any adverse effects and am making sure I am continuing to stay fit and active."

Looking back on playing career

There's very few players who grow up dreaming of playing in the AFL that actually get to experience that which Gault was able to do with those six games for Collingwood and spending five years at perhaps the biggest sporting club in the country.

To then also be able to return home to Swan Districts and have the brilliant 78-game career that he did upon coming back means that he has every reason to look back on his playing days with great pride.

"I am very proud of what I was able to achieve at my time at Swans. Particularly coming off a list at the end of 2016 I was quite disheartened with where I was at with my football," Gault said.

"I can’t be more grateful for Swans and the environment that was created to allow me to get back to enjoying my football again. The relationships that I was able to reconnect with from back in my junior days played another big part in my success."

Turning into a top-level ruckman

Before returning to Swan Districts for that 2017 season, Gault had spent most of his playing time up to that point as a key position player and mostly being pigeon-holed as a forward at Collingwood.

He could still do that with his ability to take a contested mark and kick a goal, and he certainly showed he could either play at centre half-back with his marking abilities and agility for a man standing at 199cm.

However, it was in the ruck at Swans where he truly thrived and won those two Swan Medals, and that's where he enjoyed his football the most. He gives a lot of credit for his ability to adapt to the position to the late, great Percy Johnson.

"Having played almost predominately as a forward at Collingwood I started my time at Swans in the same position. While I did have a bit of success down there, I think playing in the ruck suited my game much better," Gault said.

"The ability to have an impact on the game without relying on forward 50 entries or how the ball is being delivered is always an advantage playing in the ruck. I’m sure reconnecting with Percy Johnson also played a large part to my success in the ruck as well."

Seeing what former teammate is doing

In some ways Gault is amazed to see that a former teammate of his continues to break records, but at the same time he's not because of how well he knows Tony Notte.

Notte had already been and done with his time in the AFL at West Coast by the time Gault was even drafted to Collingwood, and then he enjoyed getting to play out his next 78 games with Swan Districts as his teammate.

To now see Notte getting to 300 games in 2024, surpass the games played record of Bill Walker, is something he can't help but marvel at.

"It’s amazing, it’s a testament to his longevity to still be playing at such a high level," he said.

"For someone that gives his heart and soul to the club and be able to have such an impact still, I don’t think we will see in the WAFL again.

"I remember when I was a young 18 year old he was one of the most I feel very lucky to have been able to play with someone like Tony and learnt so much off him while I was playing."

Life away from football

While battling injuries late in his time in the AFL at Collingwood, Gault began his teaching degree and now has settled into a position at Guildford Grammar having previously worked at Eastern Hills Senior High School.

Being able to work in the physical education department allows him to stay fit and active too, and even continue to have some involvement in football on top of some coaching work he is doing with Swan Districts.

"I am now teaching Physical Education at Guildford Grammar and going to coach the first 18s next year," Gault said.

"I have also been coaching part time at Swans doing some ruck and specialist talls coaching with the senior program and then doing a variety of roles with the junior program. I have really enjoyed working with the younger players and seeing them develop so quickly.

"It is also great staying connected with the club and seeing all the great people still involved. I also decided to do an Ironman late last year, so training for that took a lot of time up. Don’t think I will be doing that again."