By Marc McGowan
Former AFL footballer Tarryn Thomas is likely to be charged on summons after allegedly being one of two men in a vehicle where police found drugs in a routine search in the early hours of Saturday.
Police said in a statement provided to this masthead that they observed a car parked in a no-standing zone in Spencer Street, in the Melbourne CBD.
Tarryn Thomas at a 2023 North Melbourne training session.Credit: AFL Photos
A man in the front passenger seat exited the vehicle as officers approached before they allegedly located deal bags and drugs in a subsequent search of the vehicle about 12.50am on Saturday.
“The driver of the vehicle returned, and both men were interviewed for possess drug of dependence,” police said. “The pair, a 25-year-old man from Ormond and a 24-year-old man from Thomastown, are expected to be charged on summons.”
The car was a Lamborghini, according to a Channel Seven report on Sunday.
This latest alleged incident follows a Channel Nine report last month that said Thomas, 25, told police he and a friend were held hostage at gun point and asked to sign over the papers to their car and hand over thousands of dollars.
Police investigated the incident for several days before Thomas retracted his statement.
Thomas played 69 matches for the Kangaroos from 2019-23 before the club sacked him in February last year after the AFL suspended him for 18 games for inappropriate behaviour towards a woman.
The league issued a statement three months ago that it was aware Thomas had completed a comprehensive education and behavioural change program, but had not approved him to play in the AFL this year or for any club with an AFL affiliation in a state league competition.
Thomas trained briefly with WAFL club Swan Districts before it decided in February against recruiting him, despite believing he was “heading in the right direction”, while VFL team Northern Bullants made the same decision after meeting with him.
Other VFL clubs not aligned with the AFL also ruled out pursuing Thomas.
This masthead contacted Thomas’ lawyer, Sally Vardy, for comment.
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