SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 03: Tom Papley of the Swans watches on during the round 20 AFL match between the Greater Western Sydney Giants and the Sydney Swans at GIANTS Stadium on August 03, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/AFL Photos via Getty Images )
Despite being linked with a move to Victoria for the duration of the AFL Trade Period, Tom Papley will remain a Swan in 2020.
Sydney baulked at offers from Carlton for the 23-year-old, who requested a trade interstate due to personal reasons, and head coach John Longmire is keen to move on and focus on next season.
“We made it clear to Tom and his management that we didn’t want to trade him and said he’s a valuable player for us and so that’s the starting point,” Longmire said on SEN Breakfast.
“As the process unfolded, we were working in good faith to see if something could happen and when it didn’t happen it was a matter of touching base again.
“Talking about it is pretty simple process, you just sit down and have a chat about it and get back into training and he’s got his shoulder he needs to rehab and get back in and get going.
“That’s just the way it goes, particularly with modern footy.”
Papley finished fourth in the Swans best-and-fairest in 2019, following a career-best 37-goal season from the forward pocket.