- Papley was involved in a car accident before Saturday’s AFL match.
- He then had an outstanding game against the Giants.
AFL star Tom Papley has revealed he was involved in a car crash just before playing for the Sydney Swans against GWS at the SCG at the weekend.
Sydney claimed their first ever finals win against GWS on Saturday (after three previous losses to their arch rivals) and will now play a preliminary final at home against the winner of the Port Adelaide vs Hawthorn clash on Friday night.
The Swans now have the advantage of returning to the grand final for the first time since 2022 as they chase their first flag in 12 years.
Papley, who was about to play his first game since suffering an ankle injury, was anxious not to get hurt again, but nearly did on the way to the game.
The Swans agitator rear-ended a car in traffic on Anzac Parade, just minutes from the SCG.
“A guy tried to make an illegal left turn, and the Mazda slammed on the brakes, and I slammed on the brakes, and I hit his trunk, smashed his trunk… I don’t think I can open the trunk,” Papley told The age.
‘Everyone was fine. (The Mazda driver) was a good man, he didn’t know what was going on.
‘I was wearing all of Sydney’s gear, and he still didn’t realise what was going on (recognised me), so that was really helpful, but I did get a few curfews on the side of the road and stuff like that.
Tom Papley was involved in a car accident just hours before starring in the Sydney Swans’ thrilling qualifying final win over GWS (pictured)
The Swans star (pictured with fiancée Annie Milner) did not tell coach Longmire about the collision and had an excellent game.
“If it had happened in Melbourne, it would have been all over the media.”
Paley did not tell Sydney coach John Longmire anything before the match, but news of the incident reached officials and the club’s player development manager asked Papley if he was okay.
Meanwhile, Greater Western Sydney has been fined $20,000 over a shocking on-field incident between football boss Jason McCartney and Papley.
McCartney made contact with Papley in the fourth quarter when a fight broke out between the teams in the Giants’ qualifying finale.
Sydney defeated their rivals by six points after a comeback in the fourth quarter.
After finding McCartney guilty of improper conduct, the AFL handed down the sanction on Tuesday.
“Jason has admitted that his conduct over the weekend was unacceptable and fell far short of what the AFL and the Giants expected,” AFL general counsel Stephen Meade said in a statement.
‘We don’t want to see referees and opposing players fighting each other on the pitch and we are grateful that things did not escalate further on Saturday.’