Swans livewire Papley set for Starcevich GF match-up
Joanna Guelas |
Brisbane Lions defender Brandon Starcevich look out – there’s a Tom Papley-sized problem heading your way.
The AFL grand final between Sydney and Brisbane will be Papley’s third crack at a premiership and the high-octane Swans forward will be looking to make up for past lacklustre September performances.
Left unsatisfied after going goalless in their 2016 decider loss to the Western Bulldogs and kicking just one in their 2022 defeat to Geelong, Papley has shrugged off an ankle injury to cause mayhem for opposition defenders.
Finishing with five goals and 10 score involvements in his past two matches, he’s also made sure to let his competition know about it.
Papley kicked off his seventh career finals series by igniting a quarter-time all-in scuffle with GWS skipper Toby Greene in their comeback qualifying final win.
Fast forward two weeks to their comfortable preliminary final win over Port Adelaide and Papley handed fans a case of deja vu.
Slotting his first of three majors against Port, Papley was mid-celebration when he found his new quarter-time brawl partner in fellow pint-sized livewire Willie Rioli in the same pocket.
He ripped his guernsey in the process.
“Willie started it, he ran my way. He started it,” Papley joked.
“I thought, ‘Siren’s gone, we did this two weeks ago, so may as well’.”
So if Papley happens to snap the Sherrin between the big sticks at the AFL grand final from the forward pocket at the first change, Starcevich should watch out.
“I probably have a little bit of a – I don’t know, can’t really say the word – in me,” Papley said.
“When I walk on the field, it’s just white-line fever. I’m just out there to win, whatever it takes.
“I might probably come across the wrong way, and people probably don’t like me, but I don’t really care.
“I know my teammates like me, and that’s what it’s all about, doing everything for your teammates.”
Papley’s plumber-to-player story is well documented after nine years in the system but a bit of insight into his days as an apprentice will go a long way into understanding how the 28-year-old ticks.
Overlooked in the 2015 national draft, first-year apprentice Papley was chugging V energy drinks with a sausage roll at 5am on his hour’s drive from Bunyip to Melbourne.
“I’m sponsored by Monster, so maybe change that to Monster – not V, Monster,” Papley said with a wink.
Then he’d work until 4pm before driving to Morwell, an hour east of Bunyip, to train with talent league team Gippsland Power.
That was the routine until Sydney recruitment guru Kinnear Beatson took a chance on him as a rookie in 2016.
“If the Swans didn’t pick me up, I would probably still be plumbing,” Papley said.
“I always wanted to but probably didn’t really think I was good enough. I didn’t really do everything right.
“When I was 18, 19, I wasn’t that professional. I would do what every 18, 19-year-old kid does.
“I wanted it, but I didn’t really want it, if you know what I’m saying, so to get that chance and to take it to where I’ve taken it today – it’s a fair bit of luck.
“That’s what a lot of people need, is that luck to get that chance.
“Coming on from a plumber to a rookie helped me a lot, to work hard – don’t take it for granted. You only got that one year. You need to work hard and take that chance.”
AAP