Another woman accuses Tarryn Thomas of ‘abusive and manipulative’ behaviour

Tarryn Thomas is taking time away from football after being hit with a series of allegations of threatening behaviour from multiple women.

Tarryn Thomas has been accused of threatening to beat a woman. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Tarryn Thomas is taking time away from football after being hit with a series of allegations from multiple women of threatening behaviour, including stalking and verbal abuse.

Late on Wednesday night North Melbourne announced the 22-year-old star would step away from the game for an undisclosed period of time.

It came just hours after the Herald Sun revealed another woman had contacted the AFL Integrity Unit on Wednesday after detailing to the newspaper what she described as “abusive and manipulative behaviour” from Thomas during their short relationship which ended in October.

Despite multiple women coming forward with allegations of harassment and intimidating behaviour, and two of them expressing frustration their complaints had not been treated seriously, the club was earlier in the day standing by Thomas.

However, on Wednesday night the club released a statement saying: “Tarryn Thomas will take time away from the club after the AFL’s integrity unit informed North Melbourne of a new allegation of inappropriate behaviour on Wednesday afternoon.

“As detailed in the club’s statement earlier on Wednesday, the club and Thomas made a commitment to co-operate fully in any investigation if new information was presented.

“In light of this new information, Thomas will remain away from the club while the AFL gathers further information about the allegations.

“In the meantime, Thomas will be expected to meet his obligations around his respectful behaviour training and education program, as outlined in club correspondence earlier today.”

Thomas was back at the club’s Arden Street headquarters to train yesterday morning and declined to comment on the allegations. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The latest woman to come forward says the pair met at a South Yarra nightclub before they started casually seeing each other.

She alleges the Roos star “turned really evil” almost instantly, when he threatened to physically assault her.

“He said he wanted to beat me, he became abusive and manipulative,” the woman told the Herald Sun.

“It was a Jekyll and Hyde situation. He turned really evil, very quickly.”

The woman said Thomas also hurled verbal abuse at her during their brief relationship, some of which is too graphic to publish.

“He called me a slut, that cut deep,” she said.

“He said derogatory things about my body.”

In one outburst, he is alleged to have quipped her only attractive feature was her “fake” breasts.

The woman said she blocked Thomas on social media but claims he continually harassed her by contacting family and friends.

“He wouldn’t leave me alone. It was really toxic. He only stopped when I threatened to go to the media.”

The woman said she “wasn’t shocked” there were multiple other complainants who had made allegations about Thomas’ off-field behaviour.

“It angers me,” she said.

“His behaviour has caused bitterness and anger with my dating life, I don’t trust men now. It put me in a really low and depressive state-of-mind at the time.”

Her message to the AFL and the club, both who did not comment on the new allegations, was: “They need to take a stand because it is not right.”

After weeks of silence, North Melbourne on Wednesday issued a statement to its members saying Thomas was receiving training for his “behavioural issues” and would co-operate fully in any further investigations.

North Melbourne said Thomas would stay in the club’s football program despite ‘behavioural issues’ training. Picture: AFL Photos

Club president Dr Sonja Hood said the club “take(s) any allegation of threats of ­violence against women ­extremely seriously”, describing them as “serious and confronting” accusations.

“Respect of all people is fundamental to our club values,” Dr Hood said.

“The club was aware of formal allegations made against Tarryn during 2022 that were investigated by the AFL’s Integrity Unit.

“Tarryn and the club co-operated fully with those investigations.”

Thomas was charged earlier this month with threatening to distribute an intimate image following a three-month ­Victoria Police investigation, and was stopped by police while driving with a suspended licence during the Christmas break.

On Wednesday, the Herald Sun revealed that multiple women had detailed allegations to the AFL of harassment, threatening and intimidating behaviour by Thomas.

Two of them hit out at the handling of their complaints by the league and North Melbourne, saying they had been “overlooked” and vowing not to remain silent.

Thomas was back at the club’s Arden Street headquarters to train yesterday morning and declined to comment on the allegations.

He took part in a spirited training session with teammates on Wednesday morning.

The Herald Sun is not suggesting the allegations against Thomas are true, only that they have been made.

Thomas did not comment when approached by the Herald Sun.

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