Sydney Swans star Tom Papley returned a positive preliminary result to a random roadside drug test during a licence check on Monday and was also issued a court attendance notice for driving with a suspended licence, the club has confirmed.
The club said in a statement that Papley, 30, was pulled over by NSW police and issued a court attendance notice for driving with a suspended licence due to non-payment of a parking fine. During the stop, he completed a random drug test which returned a positive preliminary test indication. A second sample was taken for analysis, with results expected to take at least four weeks.
“Papley immediately advised the club regarding this matter, and the club subsequently informed the AFL,” the statement said.
Papley’s alleged transgression comes as the Swans continue to deal with the fallout from an ongoing police investigation into a reported sexual assault after players engaged exotic dancers to perform in one of the players’ rooms at the Pullman Hotel following the team’s round 23 win over Essendon. The incident saw five players, Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey, Chad Warner, Riley Bice and James Jordon, banned for the rest of the season for breaching behavioural standards set by the club, with chairman Andrew Pridham saying the decision to suspend the five had “torpedoed” their premiership chances. The players have denied any wrongdoing. The Victoria Police investigation is ongoing, with a decision expected this month.
Papley was one of the Swans’ best players in their qualifying final win over eventual premiers, the Brisbane Lions, kicking five goals. He is contracted until the end of 2028 and recently returned from a post-season trip to America where he spent time with teammates. He was to be a guest of the TAB at Flemington on Oaks Day, but is not expected to attend.
Papley’s former teammate and ex-captain Dane Rampe spoke upon his retirement last week about the need for uncomfortable conversations about the club’s culture. “What I’ve learnt, and I guess what I’ve helped teach some of the boys, is that our culture’s built on radical transparency with each other, but then radical self-ownership as well,” Rampe said. “The way the season finished forced us all to hold a mirror up to ourselves. I think it would be ignorant or naive of us to think that we haven’t all played a small part in getting to ... where we were.”
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The incident adds to the Swans’ ongoing cultural crisis following the Pullman Hotel scandal, with the club already having suspended five players for the rest of the season.
- A positive final drug test could lead to AFL sanctions and further damage the club's reputation and premiership prospects.
- The case follows a high-profile NRL incident involving Josh Addo-Carr, who was cleared after a second test came back negative, highlighting the uncertainty pending further analysis.
Background
The Swans have been under scrutiny since an alleged sexual assault following their round 23 win over Essendon, involving exotic dancers in a player’s room at the Pullman Hotel. Five players were suspended for the rest of the season, and the club’s chairman said the decision torpedoed their premiership chances. Victoria Police’s investigation is ongoing, with a decision expected this month.
Key Perspectives
Sydney Swans: Confirmed Papley’s positive preliminary drug test and suspended licence, stating he immediately advised the club and the AFL was informed.
Dane Rampe (former Swans captain, upon retiring): Said the club’s culture is built on “radical transparency” and “radical self-ownership,” adding that the way the season finished forced everyone to “hold a mirror up to ourselves.”
What to Watch
- The results of Papley’s second sample analysis, expected in about four weeks.
- The Victoria Police decision on the Pullman Hotel investigation, expected this month.
- Any AFL action or further club disciplinary measures depending on the final test outcome.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- Partly supportedTom Papley returned a positive roadside drug test.The Age - Latest News: ““During the roadside stop, Papley completed a random drug test which returned a positive preliminary test indication.””
- SupportedThe club said analysis of Papley’s second sample would take at least four weeks.The Age - Latest News: ““A second sample was taken for analysis. The results from the second test are expected to take at least four weeks.””
- SupportedPapley received a positive preliminary result from a random roadside drug test during a licence check on Monday.WA Today - Latest News: “Sydney star Tom Papley has returned a positive result to a random drug test when undergoing a roadside licence check from NSW police on Monday, the club has confirmed. “During the roadside stop, Papley completed a random drug test which returned a positive preliminary test indication.””
- SupportedPapley was issued a court attendance notice for driving with a suspended licence because of an unpaid parking fine.WA Today - Latest News: ““Papley was issued with a court attendance notice for driving with a suspended licence due to non-payment of a parking fine,” the club said in a statement on Wednesday.”
- SupportedThe club said Papley immediately told it about the matter, and it then informed the AFL.WA Today - Latest News: ““Papley immediately advised the club regarding this matter, and the club subsequently informed the AFL.””
- SupportedThe Pullman matter involved an ongoing police investigation into a reported sexual assault after players engaged exotic dancers in a player’s room following the round 23 win over Essendon.The Age - Latest News: “The club is still dealing with the fallout of an ongoing police investigating into a reported sexual assault after Swans players engaged exotic dancers to perform in one of the players’ rooms at the Pullman Hotel after the team’s round 23 win over Essendon.”
- SupportedFive named Swans players were banned for the rest of the season for breaching club behavioural standards.The Age - Latest News: “The incident saw five players – Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey, Chad Warner, Riley Bice and James Jordon – banned for the rest of the season for breaching behavioural standards set by the club”
- SupportedChairman Andrew Pridham said the decision to suspend the five players had “torpedoed” their premiership chances.The Age - Latest News: “with chairman Andrew Pridham saying the Swans’ decision to suspend the five had “torpedoed” their premiership chances.”
- SupportedThe players denied any wrongdoing.The Age - Latest News: “The players have denied any wrongdoing.”
- SupportedThe Victoria Police investigation was ongoing, with a decision expected that month.The Age - Latest News: “The Victoria Police investigation into the pre-dawn events of August 17 at the Pullman are ongoing, with a decision expected this month.”
- SupportedPapley kicked five goals in the Swans’ qualifying-final win over eventual premiers Brisbane.The Age - Latest News: “Papley was one of the Swans’ best players in their qualifying final win over eventual premiers, the Brisbane Lions, kicking five goals.”
- SupportedDane Rampe said the season’s ending forced players to reflect, and that it would be ignorant or naive to think they had not all played a small part in what happened.The Age - Latest News: ““The way the season finished forced us all to hold a mirror up to ourselves. I think it would be ignorant or naive of us to think that we haven’t all played a small part in getting to ... where we were.””