“You need a bit of luck along the way but at the end of the day anything can happen”
In two short seasons he’s accumulated a wrap list most AFL players spend a career chasing. But for Bunyip-raised Sydney Swans small forward Tom Papley it’s a profession that almost didn’t happen, as he told REBECCA SKILTON.
With both grandfathers donning the South Melbourne guernsey and a last name synonymous with the modern football world, it could be easily assumed that the Gippsland born and bred Tom Papley would follow in the impressive footsteps of his forefathers.
On his father David’s side is Max Papley. Playing 59 games for South between 1964 and 1967, Max kicked 66 goals and took out the Swans’ Best and Fairest in 1966. Among his teammates, Max is referred to as “one of the champions of the game”.
On his mother Susie’s side is Jeff Bray. A former teammate and friend of Max Papley, Bray played 34 games for South from 1964 to 1966 and, according to Max, “was regarded as the best centre half-back in the country (in 1963)”.
Just over half a century after Max and Jeff first made their South Melbourne debut, their grandson would don the same red and white colours. However for Tom, it was an inauguration that was nearly triumphed by the equal love for another sport.
“I was pretty heavily into cricket from around age 12 to 17 with Gippsland Pride,” Tom said.
“I actually quit Gippsland Power at age 16 for a couple of years to follow the cricket path.
“When I was 17 I had (cricket) grand finals and finals coming up and I said (to Power) ‘just pick someone else because I won’t be able to get there for the practice matches’.”
So, focused on cricket, Tom attended a trip to Barbados to play where he experienced international cricket as well as playing under new conditions and meeting new coaches.
But despite the appreciation and talent Tom held for cricket, football remained a constant in his life as he played for Bunyip from age nine and Gippsland Power intermittently from age 15.
In 2012 as a 16-year-old, he won a premiership alongside his Bunyip teammates before being invited back to Gippsland Power at age 18.
“I sort of felt I was always better at cricket than I was at footy,” he said.
“But I spoke to Pap (Max Papley), dad and mum and I thought ‘stuff it, I’ll have another go at footy’.
“That was pretty much it from under 18s at Power.
“I got along really well with Leigh Brown and all the coaches. I enjoyed that year, made really good mates and then I got asked back as a 19-year-old.”
For those having witnessed Tom don number 41 for the Swans – the same number former Bunyip and Swans star Shane Mumford wore – it’s almost incomprehensible to think as an 18-year-old he was overlooked by the entire AFL world.
Nevertheless, he returned as a 19-year-old to “have a good crack at it”.
That resulted in converting more than half his scoring shots, playing three games for VFL club Casey Scorpions (now the Casey Demons) and accumulating interest from Essendon, Collingwood and a late contender in the form of the Sydney Swans.
“I was working as a plumber when I got the call that I’d been drafted. Being a plumber was pretty good but obviously getting drafted was a bit better than that,” Tom said.
“I went home after I found out. I rang dad first then I rang Pap.”
He said Max had been one of his biggest supporters throughout his junior football career and that the pair of them “couldn’t stop crying” following the news.
And yet, despite the family ties to the game, including cousins Ben Ross who played for North Melbourne and Michael Ross who played for Essendon, Tom said that he’s never been made to feel any burden of carrying one of the Sydney Swan’s most famous names.
“I never really felt any pressure.
“I know that Jeff wasn’t really that well known but I didn’t think Pap was a well-known player either.
“When I got to the (Swans) that was sort of when I realised. But nothing has changed, I never thought about them as players, they’re just my grandfathers. I want to make my own name as well.
“Pap’s name is up on the board (at the Swans). Hopefully one day my name will up there as well for 100 games.
“But there’s never been any pressure at all, everyone has sort of always said ‘you do what you want to do’.”
In his two seasons Tom has taken on 40 games for the Swans, making finals each year and the Grand Final in 2016.
With a total of 59 career goals and 34 behinds, 2016 saw him finishing second to Buddy Franklin as the Swans’ leading goal kickers and seventh in the 2017 Club Champion Medal.
He was also named in this year’s under-22 team alongside team-mates Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills.
“I was a little bit nervous moving away from home but as soon as I walked into the Swans everyone was welcoming.
“Every single player and coach would come up to you so they made it a pretty easy transition, to be honest,” Tom said.
“I loved playing for Bunyip but I love it even more now. I mean, you get to play in front of the biggest crowds in the biggest stadiums.
“It can get pretty intense when things aren’t going great like the first six rounds (of 2017).
“That was a little bit different compared to my first year where I think we only lost about five games.
“But we got back into the groove and started winning that pressure relieves.
“But you always want to play well – you never want to get dropped but you don’t think about that when you’re playing, you just play your best.”
He said that one of his best memories was winning the premiership with Bunyip in 2012 and acknowledges the benefits of country and local football and its relevance to his success, paying particular homage TAC cup.
“I think the Gippsland power thing and the TAC cup is perfect for an up-and-comer,” Tom said.
“It’s really the best of its kind in Australia because when you look at the Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth kids they don’t really have anything like that.
“You look at (the draft) and it’s like 60 per cent of the kids that get drafted are from Victoria.
“So I think country footy down here is the place to be noticed.”
And for those looking to be in his position one day?
“Just enjoy it. If you’re not enjoying it because of the pressure then it can be hard to keep your mind on the job,” Tom said.
“Make mates and have a good time. You need a bit of luck along the way but at the end of the day anything can happen.”
