This article is more than 6 months old
North Melbourne sack Tarryn Thomas after AFL hands player 18-game ban
This article is more than 6 months old
Lengthy ban issued for several conduct breaches
Breaches include threatening of a woman by direct message
Jack Snape
Thu 22 Feb 2024 08.05 GMT
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Australian rules footballer Tarryn Thomas has been cut by North Melbourne after he was handed an 18-match suspension by the AFL for several conduct breaches including threatening a woman by direct message.
The ban is the longest handed out by the AFL for a non-drugs infringement, and underlines the code’s stance around violence against women.
North Melbourne president Sonja Hood said the club worked with the 23-year-old out of a “duty of care” for its player following previous allegations, but he was “now out of chances”.
“It was a complex and difficult situation but we were all united in our determination to get the best outcomes for Tarryn and those around him,” she said.
“Tarryn came back to the club midway through last year pledging to be better. We are all bitterly disappointed that he has relapsed.”
The AFL confirmed the suspension stems from a complaint made in January regarding “multiple acts of misconduct including threatening a woman via direct messages multiple times”.
The suspension is the culmination of repeated behavioural issues over the past year. Thomas was defended by Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson last February, after the midfielder initially spent time away from the club.
“You come in at 17-18 years of age and somewhere along the way, just the wheels fall off for a period of time,” Clarkson said at the time. “To be fair, everyone has issues in their life.”
But weeks later, Thomas was stood down when more allegations emerged of Thomas’s inappropriate behaviour towards women.
He returned to the senior team in May and played 12 matches over the course of the season, but more allegations were raised early in 2024, and the 23-year-old trained for the last time with the club in January.
AFL general counsel, Stephen Meade, said Thomas’s actions were not of a standard that the game or the public expect.
“While we understand and are empathetic to the challenges Tarryn was facing in his personal life, there is no excuse for the behaviour or the hurt he caused a young woman, this is never OK,” he said.
“The fact that Tarryn chose to engage in behaviour over direct messages that was, and is, clearly inappropriate, even while he was undertaking education and being counselled for previous breaches contributed to the length of suspension imposed.”
AFL Players Association chief executive Paul Marsh said disrespectful behaviour towards women, in any form, is unacceptable.
“Tarryn has some challenges that he needs to address, and the AFLPA will provide him with access to tools that will assist him, while continuing to focus on his wellbeing.”
Hood praised the woman who reported Thomas’ behaviour, and said “she deserved better”.
“Out of respect for her privacy I won’t say anything about the woman who brought these allegations to the AFL other than to commend her bravery and the dignity with which she has handled herself throughout this process.”
The AFL confirmed Thomas will not be eligible to play with any club in the 2024 season, and must pass a behavioural change program before he will be allowed to register again.