When Tom Papley wriggles out of his Victorian guernsey after next week’s State of Origin match for bushfire relief, it won’t take long for it to join his grandfather’s ‘Big V’ jumper in his family’s pool room.
Tom will don a Victorian jumper for a clash with the All Stars at Marvel Stadium next Friday night, following in the footsteps of his grandfather Max Papley who represented South Melbourne and the ‘Big V’ in the 1960s.
Tom wore the number 41 in his first two years at the Sydney Swans but has since run out in Max’s number 11 – and the lively small forward is relishing the thought of deepening his connection to his grandfather after next week’s State of Origin match.
“It’s pretty special for our family and our family’s history,” Papley told RSN.
“I’m sure he’ll love watching the game next Friday and I’m sure he’ll be very proud.
“It’ll be nice having my Sydney Swans and Victorian jumpers next to his South Melbourne and Victorian jumpers in our pool room. We have a trophy room, or a pool room, and we’ve got his Victorian jumper on the wall and there are also photos of him playing for Victoria and South Melbourne. It was a pretty significant moment to be selected for Victoria and I’d love to see our Victorian jumpers next to each other.”
Papley and Sydney teammates Jake Lloyd (Victoria) and Callum Mills (All Stars) are all set to feature in next week’s State of Origin fixture, while John Longmire will coach the All Stars and Dean Cox is set to assist him.
Longmire represented both Victoria and NSW as a player in the 1990s, while Cox played for the Dream Team in its clash with Victoria in the 2008 AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match at the MCG.
Papley is a strong supporter of next week’s State of Origin fixture.
“You’re representing your club and your state and the people affected by the bushfires. If we can raise money for the people affected and put on a good spectacle on the night, that’d be great,” Papley said.
“I was all for it from the time it was announced, then I was lucky enough to get picked and now I’m pumped to wear the ‘Big V’ for the first time.”
