Player Watch #11 Tom Papley - Telling it like it is

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Tom Papley

Player Profile
Tom Papley swapped his plumbing tools for a Sherrin when the Sydney Swans sprung a draft surprise in 2015 – and the pocket-rocket forward has since become a crucial member of coach John Longmire’s side. Papley has played 20 or more senior games in every one of his four full seasons in the AFL and was at his best in 2019, topping Sydney’s goal-kicking leaderboard and finishing fourth in the Bob Skilton Medal voting. The Gippsland Power product took on more time in the midfield in 2019 and is likely to again split his time between the forward line and centre bounce this year. Papley was selected in the AFL Players’ Association’s 22Under22 team in 2017. Draft history: 2016 Rookie Draft selection (Sydney) No. 12; 2016 AFL Draft rookie elevation (Sydney).

Tom Papley
DOB: 13 July 1996
DEBUT:2016
DRAFT: 2016
RECRUITED FROM: Bunyip (Vic)/Gippsland U18

www.sydneyswans.com.au

Tom Papley | AFL

Follow Tom Papley's progress through AFL
www.sydneyswans.com.au www.sydneyswans.com.au
 
Last edited by a moderator:
S120 said:
Yep I've been thinking that. We've got a good group of young guys to spring forward with over the next 2 years but we still need a few more in the 24-28 age range to jump back into finals I think.

The retirement concern that clubs have is really unfounded imo. Mass retirements open up enormous opportunities for younger players who are likely capable of stepping up, given your recruiting is decent. Each of our little successful runs over the last 20 years have been immediately preceded by a pretty big group of retiring greats.
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The retirements don't concern me in the slightest. Everyone gets nostalgia, understandably, but players do not retire at the peak of their powers.

Heath Grundy who had lost a yard and only played 1 game in 2019
Kieren Jack who many of you wanted dropped and who only played 8 games in 2019 with a very low 71% TOG
Jarrad McVeigh who was the best of them but only played 6 games in 2019
Nick Smith who was statistically one of the worst one-on-one defenders in 2018 and didn't play a single game in 2019

Those are huge retirements on the basis of nostalgia, and their careers should be celebrated. But their on-field loss from 2019 to 2020 is being massively overstated.
 
swansfan51 said:
The retirements don't concern me in the slightest. Everyone gets nostalgia, understandably, but players do not retire at the peak of their powers.

Heath Grundy who had lost a yard and only played 1 game in 2019
Kieren Jack who many of you wanted dropped and who only played 8 games in 2019 with a very low 71% TOG
Jarrad McVeigh who was the best of them but only played 6 games in 2019
Nick Smith who was statistically one of the worst one-on-one defenders in 2018 and didn't play a single game in 2019

Those are huge retirements on the basis of nostalgia, and their careers should be celebrated. But their on-field loss from 2019 to 2020 is being massively overstated.
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Not bad didn't even mention Papley
 

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I reckon the club should hold Papley to his contract. Ridiculous money is being thrown at him. My guess is probably double what his contract at the Swans is worth. Maybe chip in an extra 50K a year to soften the blow and reward him for his unexpected improvement, if it is possible to rewrite a contract. I mean they promoted him to the leadership group which probably carries some extra cash. I still reckon that a big part of this wanting to return to Victoria is about the extra money. No evidence except the huge amount of extra money and how I would personally react in the same situation he finds himself in.
 

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I have to add that I would much prefer watching Tom Papley running around in the red and white than Joe Daniher. I love watching Tom play. He's a champ and is a heart and soul player. I don't think he will fulfil his talent at another club because he draws on his love of this club in the way he plays. If they decide not to let him walk then maybe that will create a psychological rift which may impact his output. Tough call.
 
swansfan51 said:
The retirements don't concern me in the slightest. Everyone gets nostalgia, understandably, but players do not retire at the peak of their powers.

Heath Grundy who had lost a yard and only played 1 game in 2019
Kieren Jack who many of you wanted dropped and who only played 8 games in 2019 with a very low 71% TOG
Jarrad McVeigh who was the best of them but only played 6 games in 2019
Nick Smith who was statistically one of the worst one-on-one defenders in 2018 and didn't play a single game in 2019

Those are huge retirements on the basis of nostalgia, and their careers should be celebrated. But their on-field loss from 2019 to 2020 is being massively overstated.
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Agree totally with your view.
 
Gutted that the rumour mill was right and that Tom wants out. We don't have anyone that comes even close to filling the role that he plays as a small crumbing forward and if all it leads to is a lottery ticket (ie draft pick) and an injury restricted big forward, it would be a horrible outcome for the club.
 
MC Bad Genius said:
Gutted that the rumour mill was right and that Tom wants out. We don't have anyone that comes even close to filling the role that he plays as a small crumbing forward and if all it leads to is a lottery ticket (ie draft pick) and an injury restricted big forward, it would be a horrible outcome for the club.
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Statistically speaking, he's the easiest one to replace at draft.
 
It's difficult to blame him really. I'd love him to stay but when you look at it from his perspective....

He's a Bunyip boy (or somewhere thereabouts) and his girlfriend is also from Gippsland somewhere.

His buying power with a footballer's salary is enormous in that area and if he's wanting to genuinely settle down with his girlfriend and have kids at least Carlton is somewhat accessible.

Again I say, stop diluting the force of the Academies. The frontier clubs need them.
 
sataris said:
Statistically speaking, he's the easiest one to replace at draft.
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How so?
puke said:
I'm warming to the concept of holding him to his contract. This business of nominating another club when you are contracted to the swans for another 4 years is crap. Show some integrity you selfish piece of s**t.
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I'd love the Swans to do the same, but let's not pretend the clubs are all that virtuous in trade week.
 
sataris said:
Statistically speaking, he's the easiest one to replace at draft.
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What is the probability that he will improve if he stays with us?
 
If one takes out the Papley "love" aspect, and to be fair, footy would be nothing without it from a supporter's perspective, as delusional as it is, this really is a perfect case of buying low and selling high for the Swans.

I'll be surprised if the AFL don't start charging the Northern clubs Capital Gains Tax. We can't just keep accumulating these rookies on the cheap and selling them to those poor Victorian clubs for first round draft picks.
 
MC Bad Genius said:
How so?
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These are the absolute best small forwards in the game by goals, and their draft positions. Note the complete lack of top 10 picks, and indeed the complete lack of anybody taken in the top 50. Brandon Matera is the only one who would even have been a chance of a top 50 pick.

swansfan51 said:
Top small forwards in the league and their draft positions:

Charlie Cameron - Rookie Draft #7
Michael Walters - National Draft #53
Eddie Betts - Pre-Season Draft #3
Tom Papley - Rookie Draft #14
Sam Lloyd - National Draft #66
Luke Breust - National Draft #77
Brandon Matera - shenanigans
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti - Rookie Draft #22

Cheapest players in the league, by a mile.
Click to expand...
 
swansfan51 said:
These are the absolute best small forwards in the game by goals, and their draft positions. Note the complete lack of top 10 picks, and indeed the complete lack of anybody taken in the top 50. Brandon Matera is the only one who would even have been a chance of a top 50 pick.
Click to expand...

Counter-argument - small forwards are a crapshoot, it’s almost impossible to predict which ones will turn out good, which is why they so often come from late picks.

It’s not EASIER to get a good one, it’s actually harder, but the currency (low picks) is more readily available.

Point is, you can’t just go into the draft saying “we’ll replace that star small forward with our rookie picks” because your chances of success are really low - they’re just equally low for a rookie pick as with a high pick so you might as well use the high pick on a surer outcome.
 
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