Swans star Tom Papley collects fan in the face after dive into the third row

An unfortunate fan at the Gabba was left filthy after star forward Tom Papley launched deep into the crowd and clocked him in the face.

Tom Papley went full Eric Cantona. Photo: Kayo, Twitter.

A sorry fan at the Gabba had to watch on as the Lions were upstaged in a Swans ambush and then took a knockout whack to the face on Saturday night.

The poor spectator had to wear a high speed sliding backside boot scrape across face after Swans star Tom Papley launched into the third row during the Swans’ upset 31-point win in Brisbane.

The moment Papley launched over the fence and deep into the crowd left viewers impressed with the 24-year-old’s athletic dive.

It was only when replays emerged seconds later that it became clear just how painful the crazy moment would have been for the unfortunate bloke sitting in the wrong seat at the wrong time.

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Tom Papley went in hard.

In the crazy clip, Papley steams in towards the boundary rope before some minor contact from Lions star Brandon Starcevich appears to throw him off balance and careening over the fence.

Having jumped over the fence at speed, Papley twists around and ends up facing back towards the field after his boots collect the gentlemen in a world of hurt.

“I don’t know he totally needed to do that,” a giggling Dermott Brereton said in commentary on Fox Footy.

Tom Papley the crowd surfer 🏄#AFLLionsSwanspic.twitter.com/145o9i16RK

— AFL (@AFL) March 20, 2021

“His boot’s swung someone in the head. You gotta feel for the fella hit with the green boot. He’s not impressed.”

He was far from the only Lions fan less than pleased leaving the ground after the club was inexplicably sloppy in the season-opener.

A young Swans side with three debutants left the Gabba silenced with a 19.11 (125) to 14.10 (94) victory few believed was possible.

It was expected to be the unveiling of Joe Daniher for the Lions and while he scored two goals, he was also put on report for a high elbow.

Tom Papley’s boots got into the third row. Photo: Kayo.

It only got worse from there.

AFL legend Gerard Healy told Fox Footy the Lions “didn’t bring any mental base on which to build a victory” and said they were “schooled by an incredibly young Swans”.

Brereton added that the “Lions will be a good team, I can’t see them having a shocking horrible year, even though they were terrible tonight”.