NSW Police have released a statement following Sydney star Tom Papley's failed preliminary roadside drug test earlier this week.
Papley was driving with a suspended licence due to non-payment of a parking fine.
A second sample of the drug test has been taken for analysis and will take at least four weeks.
“At about 10.30 am on Monday, traffic and highway patrol officers stopped a vehicle on Lang Road, Centennial Park, for the purposes of a random testing,” NSW Police said in a statement.
“The driver — a 30-year-old man — was spoken to, with checks revealing his licence was suspended.
“He was subject to a roadside drug test which allegedly returned a positive result for methylamphetamine. A secondary sample of oral fluid was taken for further analysis.
“He was issued a court attendance notice for driving with a licence suspended under s 66 of the Fines Act, to appear before Waverly Local Court on Thursday, November 26, 2026, and a 24-hour driving probation. Inquiries continue.”
The Swans released a statement of their own on Wednesday.
"Sydney Swans player Tom Papley was pulled over by NSW Police for a roadside licence check on Monday 2 November," the Swans statement said.
"Papley was issued with a court attendance notice for driving with a suspended licence due to non-payment of a parking fine.
"During the roadside stop, Papley completed a random drug test which returned a positive preliminary test indication. A second sample was taken for analysis. The results from the second test are expected to take at least four weeks.
"Papley immediately advised the club regarding this matter, and the club subsequently informed the AFL.
"The club will be making no further comment pending the outcome of the police process."
Papley played 20 games for Sydney in 2026, booting 33 goals and finishing ninth in the club's best and fairest count.
The off-season incident adds to a disastrous past few months for the Swans, who have players at the centre of an ongoing investigation into allegations of sexual assault from an incident at the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne in mid-August.
Chad Warner, Isaac Heeney, James Jordon and Nick Blakey remain under police investigation, while the latter has since departed the club for North Melbourne via a trade last month.
A fifth player, Riley Bice, joined his four teammates in being suspended for the remainder of the season but has since been cleared of direct involvement in the matter.
