North Melbourne push on with 2024 campaign as Tarryn Thomas faces massive ban
North Melbourne have stopped factoring Tarryn Thomas in to season planning as the club continues to remain largely in the dark about the AFL investigation.
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North Melbourne’s coaches have stopped factoring Tarryn Thomas in to season planning as youngster George Wardlaw says the Roos players “don’t know as much as we would like” about the investigation into the midfielder.
Thomas has been sent to train away from his teammates since mid-January amid an AFL investigation into domestic violence allegations and is facing a ban of up to 18 games.
Given he is out of contract at the end of the season, he may have played his last game for the Roos.
The North Melbourne football department has largely moved on from Thomas as the pre-season has worn on and showed promising signs with a comfortable win over Collingwood in a hitout on Wednesday.
Roos assistant coach Jed Adcock said the coaching staff has taken their mind off Thomas, leaving his status in the hands of chief executive Jennifer Watt and football manager Todd Viney.
“Right now we can only focus on the players that are there,” Adcock said.
“There are people at the club that are looking after that (Thomas). We can only look after the (remaining) players that are at the club still. If we start taking our energy away from those guys, it is unfair to them.
“Tarryn is getting looked after, there are people looking after them, but our job is to look after the guys that are there.”
North Melbourne remains largely in the dark about the investigation, with all parties expecting a lengthy suspension.
Youngster Wardlaw said the North Melbourne playing group remains in the dark about the allegations against Thomas.
“It is a tricky one with Tarryn,” he said.
“Obviously, the players and also North Melbourne (as a whole), don’t know as much as we would like about it. It is pretty hard to comment on and we are just hoping that all parties are happy and OK.”
Thomas has played 69 games over five seasons for North Melbourne.
He was stood down last year over behavioural issues but returned to finish sixth in the club’s best-and-fairest count.
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