'Arrested': Fake news pages claim Swans - past and present - have been charged

Fact-checking and news verification by the Australian Associated Press has uncovered fake news sites erroneously reporting that the Sydney Swans players involved in the sexual assault allegations made last week have been officially arrested.

On the AAP FactCheck site it was made clear:

"WHAT WAS CLAIMED
Multiple current and former Sydney Swans players have been arrested for sexual assault.

"OUR VERDICT
False. The cited players have not been arrested."

AAP FactCheck further explained that fake news accounts on Facebook are “exploiting sexual assault allegations involving Sydney Swans players to spread false claims and drive web traffic.”

It added, “The pages have claimed several players - some of whom no longer play for the AFL team - have been arrested following a sexual assault investigation.” 

AAP FactCheck stated that the Facebook account Red Wave Footy is the source of much of the fake news.

The organisation detailed why the claim that Tom Papley was arrested was blatantly fabricated.

“Papley is not a former player, as the post claims, having made 17 appearances1 in 2026, including in the team's August 15 clash against Essendon in Melbourne.”

The post being referenced in the now private Facebook page “directs readers to an article peppered with ads and illustrated with several images of Papley, but without naming him or any other current or former player.”

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AAP also notes that an August 17 post also implicated AFL legend Lance "Buddy" Franklin, who retired from the club in 2023, by posting a photo of him emblazoned with the word: “ARREST”. 

The account Harborline Gazette was also called out by AAP for publishing false news; namely about former Swans player Elijah Taylor.

The page used a photo of Taylor from the Swans taken during his only season for them in 2020, and emblazoned the word “ARRESTED” across it.

 

 

 

 

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Sydney Swans face sexual assault allegations

The repercussions from the allegations, and incident at the Pullman hotel in Melbourne on August 16, have been devastating especially for the three victims who have made police statements, and also for the reputation of AFL club.

As the news broke last week, there was intense backlash not only over the behaviour of the players - which breached club standards - but Swans management was slammed for its lack of appropriate response by failing to acknowledge the victims properly and making them the priority.

Whilst a more a appropriate apology came from the club on Thursday, corporate sponsors such as Telstra and Red Cross Lifeblood have withdrawn their support of the AFL team.

News about the Sydney Swans continues to make headlines in Australia more than a week later, with no signs of abating soon - hence AAP's claim of “exploitation” by the fake news pages.

The police investigations into the sexual assault allegations continues.