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Tom Papley's 'savage' response to Geelong fan's grand final parade dig

riley morgan
Sports Reporter
·4-min read
Tom Papley (pictured right) laughing during the AFL grand final parade and (pictured left) a fan's poster.
Tom Papley (pictured right) appeared to have a laugh at one of the crowd banners during the AFL grand final parade. (Images: Instagram)

Sydney Swans star Tom Papley has responded to a Geelong fan's banner taking a dig at him during the grand final parade.

The Swans will take on the Cats this Saturday at the MCG in a blockbuster grand final clash.

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Returning to tradition after a three year absence, the teams took part in the grand final parade on Friday along the Yarra River.

However, Cats fans were out in force and some caught the attention of Papley.

The Swans midfielder was involved in a highly controversial moment in the preliminary final when in the fourth quarter he was accused of foul play against Collingwood's Darcy Moore.

The score stood at 88-74 when Papley and Moore contested the ball.

Papley could have been penalised for a push in the back, before taking a mark that also caused uproar.

The goal proved to be decisive with the Swans eventually rushing a behind to win the contest.

And Cats fans have not let him forget it.

Lance Franklin (pictured left) and Tom Papley (pictured right) wave to fans during the 2022 AFL grand final Parade.
Lance Franklin (pictured left) and Tom Papley (pictured right) wave to fans during the 2022 AFL grand final Parade. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Papley posted a video on social media of a banner that showed the image of the incident.

It read: 'How Sydney make grand finals'.

He then switches the camera around appears to laugh at the banner.

Papley received a mixed reaction, but many were laugh along with the Swans star as continued his pantomime villain role for the Sydney.

Fans left disappointed during AFL grand final parade

Friday's parade route saw players from Geelong and Sydney board two barges on the Yarra River, which would then float down towards the Princes Bridge, near Federation Square, before turning around and heading towards Birrarung Marr where players would then disembark and get into cars for a more traditional ride towards the MCG.

Fans who had taken a place on the Princes Bridge were left disappointed and frustrated though, after the two barges turned towards Birrarung Marr roughly 300 metres before they were expected to - leaving them unable to catch a glimpse of their potential premiership heroes.

Cats fans are seen during the 2022 AFL Grand Final Parade on September 23, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia.
Cats fans are seen during the 2022 AFL Grand Final Parade on September 23, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

The AFL's revamped parade route was trashed by fans who were bemused by the decision, as well as many others who were furious that the barges hadn't completed the route published by the league that was to take the barges up much closer to the bridge.

Geelong and Sydney (nee South Melbourne) are among eight foundation VFL clubs but have never met in a grand final.

The Cats have played in 17 of the past 19 finals series; the Swans 17 of the past 20.

But both find planting the flag on the summit difficult: the last of Geelong's nine premierships was 2011; Sydney's last of five flags was the following year.

with AAP

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