Tarryn Thomas has been stood down for the 2024 AFL season, having been found guilty of several breaches of the football code’s conduct rules including inappropriate behaviour towards a woman.
In a statement on Thursday, the AFL said Thomas has engaged in multiple acts of misconduct, including “threatening a woman via direct messages multiple times”. He will be suspended for 18 matches and will need to undertake a behavioural change program before returning to football at any level.
“The AFL wishes to advise that North Melbourne player Tarryn Thomas has been found guilty of several breaches of the AFL rule conduct unbecoming,” a statement from the AFL said.
“It was ultimately determined by the AFL that Thomas had engaged in multiple acts of misconduct including threatening a woman via direct messages multiple times.
“In determining the sanction, the AFL took into account the evidence over a period of time which included Thomas engaging in misconduct while he was undertaking education in 2023 to deal with similar behaviours from earlier that year.”
The 23-year-old’s club, North Melbourne, also announced it had cut “playing ties” with Thomas. The club’s president, Dr Sonja Hood, wrote a message to the club’s supporters, writing: “We are all bitterly disappointed that he has relapsed. And he is now out of chances.”
“Last year he was afforded the privilege of doing his intensive education and rehabilitation programs within the structure of our footy club. From here he’ll have to find that structure elsewhere,” Hood wrote.
“We’ll continue working with the AFL, the Players Association and Tarryn’s manager and his support network to ensure that he gets the help he needs to be better. But he won’t play for the North Melbourne Football Club again.”
The AFL’s General Counsel, Stephen Meade said Thomas’ behaviour did not represent behaviours acceptable to anyone in the game or AFL community.
“His actions were not of a standard that the game or the public expect,” Meade said.
“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 okay.
“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.”
Helping to shape community attitudes
Phillip Ripper, CEO of No to Violence, Australia’s peak body for organisations and individuals who work with men to end family violence, said the decision to stand down Thomas was the right call.
“It’s great to see footy, a bastion and role model for masculinity, saying no and setting clear boundaries and helping to shape community attitudes,” Ripper said.
“We’re pleased to see the AFL and North Melbourne taking a stand and condemning disrespectful behaviour against women.”
Ripper also said it was important actions like these were taken, as the behaviour of football players are instrumental in shaping community values.
“Sport plays a crucial role in Australian culture. The way sporting codes, clubs, players, coaches and administrators behave and respond to disrespect and violence against women has a huge impact in the broader community,” he said.
“These things are all connected: when influential individuals and organisations call out violent, abusive and controlling behaviour they show men and boys everywhere that these kinds of behaviours are not on.”