Tom Papley
Sydney
AFL career
216 games337 goals
- Debut
- R1 2016 v COL26 Mar 2016
- Most recent
- PF 2026 v FRE18 Sept 2026
Stats
AFL
2026 | SYD | 20 | 9.8 | 5.3 | 15.1 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 67 | 76 |
2025 | SYD | 11 | 10.2 | 4.8 | 15.0 | 3.9 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 62 | 66 |
2024 | SYD | 21 | 10.7 | 4.1 | 14.9 | 3.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 67 | 79 |
2023 | SYD | 23 | 11.0 | 3.9 | 15.0 | 3.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 67 | 73 |
2022 | SYD | 19 | 10.7 | 4.6 | 15.3 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 71 | 81 |
2021 | SYD | 23 | 10.0 | 3.6 | 13.6 | 3.9 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 65 | 70 |
2020 | SYD | 17 | 8.8 | 3.1 | 11.8 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 58 | 80 |
2019 | SYD | 22 | 11.0 | 4.5 | 15.5 | 4.8 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 77 | 78 |
2018 | SYD | 20 | 8.5 | 5.2 | 13.7 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 63 | 72 |
2017 | SYD | 20 | 9.7 | 6.0 | 15.6 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 76 | 79 |
2016 | SYD | 20 | 7.1 | 5.1 | 12.2 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 3.6 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 62 | 64 |
State Of Origin
2020 | VIC | 1 | 9.0 | 2.0 | 11.0 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 88 |
FRE | SCG | PF | 10 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1.3 | 59 | 73 | 0 | 0 |
BRL | SCG | FW1 | 13 | 3 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5.1 | 92 | 142 | 0 | 0 |
NTH | SCG | R24 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1.3 | 77 | 85 | 8 | 0 |
ESS | MCG | R23 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0.0 | 33 | 42 | 8 | 0 |
PAD | SCG | R22 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3.1 | 76 | 88 | 7 | 0 |
STK | MS | R21 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.2 | 38 | 51 | 1 | 0 |
GWS | ENG | R20 | 13 | 4 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.1 | 75 | 94 | 5 | 0 |
ADE | SCG | R19 | 17 | 7 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4.2 | 103 | 78 | 1 | 0 |
FRE | OS | R18 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2.1 | 48 | 48 | 0 | 0 |
GEE | GMHBA | R11 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.1 | 30 | 37 | 0 | 0 |
COL | SCG | R10 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2.2 | 42 | 67 | 5 | 0 |
NTH | MS | R9 | 12 | 6 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2.3 | 83 | 73 | 13 | 0 |
MEL | SCG | R8 | 9 | 5 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1.1 | 64 | 87 | 11 | 0 |
WBD | MS | R7 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1.0 | 91 | 87 | 9 | 0 |
GWS | SCG | R6 | 9 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1.0 | 57 | 71 | - | - |
GCS | NORW | R5 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3.3 | 102 | 112 | 1 | 0 |
WCE | OS | R4 | 17 | 7 | 24 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2.4 | 118 | 115 | 10 | 0 |
HAW | MCG | R2 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1.1 | 53 | 60 | 6 | 0 |
BRL | SCG | R1 | 13 | 5 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 65 | 57 | 3 | 0 |
CAR | SCG | R0 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1.1 | 41 | 46 | 0 | 0 |
Bio
Recruited via the rookie list with pick 14 in the 2016 Rookie Draft, Tom Papley overcame initial concerns about his height to become one of the premier small forwards of his generation. The grandson of South Melbourne players Max Papley and Jeff Bray, he transitioned from a trade background in Gippsland to the AFL with immediate effect, earning a Rising Star nomination in his debut year. His playing style is defined by explosive bursts of speed, elite crumbing ability, and a relentless pressure game that often sets the emotional tone for his side.
While he has spent his entire career in red and white, Papley's journey included a pivotal moment during the 2019 trade period when he requested a move to Carlton for family reasons. After the proposed trade fell through, he responded with arguably his best football, earning All-Australian selection in 2021 and winning the Swans' leading goalkicker award multiple times. Now a senior member of the playing group, he serves as the dynamic spark in Sydney's forward line, balancing his goal-scoring prowess with increasing leadership responsibilities.
Profile
- Born
- 13 July 1996 (age 30y 100d)
- Height
- 177 cm
- Weight
- 77 kg
Teams
Fantasy
Honours
- All-Australian2021
- 22 Under 222017
- Sydney B&F
- 3rd
- 2020
- Top 10
- 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2026
Family
- Grandfather:Jeff Bray, Max Papley
- Cousin:Ben Ross, Michael Ross
Bio
1 revisionRecruited via the rookie list with pick 14 in the 2016 Rookie Draft, Tom Papley overcame initial concerns about his height to become one of the premier small forwards of his generation. The grandson of South Melbourne players Max Papley and Jeff Bray, he transitioned from a trade background in Gippsland to the AFL with immediate effect, earning a Rising Star nomination in his debut year. His playing style is defined by explosive bursts of speed, elite crumbing ability, and a relentless pressure game that often sets the emotional tone for his side.
While he has spent his entire career in red and white, Papley's journey included a pivotal moment during the 2019 trade period when he requested a move to Carlton for family reasons. After the proposed trade fell through, he responded with arguably his best football, earning All-Australian selection in 2021 and winning the Swans' leading goalkicker award multiple times. Now a senior member of the playing group, he serves as the dynamic spark in Sydney's forward line, balancing his goal-scoring prowess with increasing leadership responsibilities.