AFL 2021: North Melbourne veteran Robbie Tarrant signs with rival club

One of North Melbourne’s most faithful servants has rejected an offer to stay at the club and will pack his bags to link up with a rival.

Tarrant is joining the Tigers. (Photo by Matt Roberts/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

North Melbourne says it is “disappointed” to be losing veteran Robbie Tarrant, who will depart Arden Street to sign with Richmond.

An unrestricted free agent, the 32-year-old knocked back a two-year deal that would have seen him end his career as a one-club player.

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Instead, he’ll head to Tigerland, where he will replenish the side’s backline, which lost both David Astbury and Bachar Houli to retirement in 2021.

“We’re disappointed that Robbie has chosen not to accept our contract offer. We wanted to see Robbie remain a one-club player given what he has done for our football club,” North Melbourne general manager of football Brady Rawlings said.

“Robbie has been an elite defender in the competition and has provided us with great leadership and spirit.

“He has been popular with our fans, his teammates and everyone involved with the club, so it’ll be hard to see him in opposing colours, but we wish him well.”

Tarrant was member of the Kangaroos’ leadership group this season. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Selected with pick 15 of the 2007 national draft, Tarrant overcame a tough run of injuries early in his career and went on to play 174 games for the Kangaroos.

He enjoyed a career-best season in 2016, earning both the Syd Barker Medal as North Melbourne’s best and fairest player and selection in the 40-man All-Australian squad.

Taylor Garner, Connor Menadue, Dom Tyson and Will Walker will follow Tarrant out the door at North Melbourne, having all been delisted at the conclusion of the 2021 season.

The Kangaroos finished the year on the bottom of the ladder but showed considerable improvement as the season progressed.

David Noble said he had reason to be excited for the future as the curtain came down on his first year as senior coach.

“I think now that our players have clear understanding of how we want to play, we’ll go really hard at it but how it pans out next year, who knows?” Noble said after the Kangaroos’ final game of the season.

“I certainly didn’t take the job to take two or three years to develop and take our time.

“The club has been great, they understand that they need to be a bit patient, but I’m in a hurry. I can get impatient at times, so therefore we’ve got to balance what that looks like.

“We’ve still got some work to do on our list, we’ll go to the draft again, we’ll get the guys fitter and stronger and we’ll see how next year unfolds.”

Originally published as AFL 2021: North Melbourne veteran Robbie Tarrant signs with rival club