History will be made when Tom Papley is traded from the AFL to the NRL in return for Josh Addo-Carr.
Papley will play for the Parramatta Eels in 2027 and Addo-Carr for the Sydney Swans in the first ever trade between two different codes and two nominees for The Frownlow Medal.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern-day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes: the men’s and women’s National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015, while AFL player Noah Balta is the most recent recipient.
Papley and Addo-Carr will be traded after both committing alleged driving offences. Papley recently returned a positive preliminary test for methylamphetamine after being pulled over by NSW Police, who allege he was driving with a suspended licence and had an unpaid parking fine.
Addo-Carr was recently arrested for allegedly failing a road-side drug test. His B sample tested negative, but he was found guilty of the same offence in 2024, and this cost him his contract with the Canterbury Bulldogs.
“Tom and Josh are so similar,” began a statement from the two clubs.
“Both are fast, zippy, skilful and talented, and both prone to mistakes behind the wheel. The trade seems unconventional, because it is, but each club essentially gets a like-for-like replacement.”
“Josh, meanwhile, is clearly so talented that he was given a lifeline by Parramatta after being found guilty of an identical driving offence just two years ago.”
The Swans also explained that the swap protects the club as a whole after recent off-field turmoil.
“It’s clear we need to off-load some of our roster. They’re great players, and we won’t win many games without them, but they’re just causing too much trouble. We’ve already off-loaded some of the Pullman Five and we might get rid of all of them before the first bounce in season 2027 – otherwise we’ll be offloading sponsors.”
Image: NuNa
