North Melbourne’s Tarryn Thomas warning for rival clubs revealed

An explosive email has revealed North Melbourne’s stark warning to rival clubs about troubled star Tarryn Thomas, and the lengths the club went to in rehabilitating the former Kangaroo.

An email from North Melbourne chief executive Jennifer Watt has shown the lengths the club went to in an effort to help Tarryn Thomas. Picture: Michael Klein

North Melbourne chief executive Jennifer Watt told fellow club bosses that sacked Kangaroos midfielder Tarryn Thomas “was not able to meaningfully change his behaviour”.

The concession, in an email to Eagles CEO Don Pyke’s and including all other AFL club CEOs, came despite the club desperately trying to rehabilitate him.

The email was sent following Pyke’s push for a united stance condemning violence against women.

Watt shared details of how Thomas had completed four behaviour modification programs before his eventual sacking from the club in February.

Tarryn Thomas still has ambitions to return to AFL football next season. Picture: Getty Images

The email, which was sent earlier this month, showed the extent to which the Kangaroos tried to elicit a change in behaviour from Thomas and revealed their ongoing frustrations.

Watt told the club chief executives in the email: “(Kangaroos president) Sonja Hood and I have been talking a lot about this, especially in light of the recent challenges we faced with Tarryn Thomas.”

“We were struck by just how hard it was to find programs to support behaviour change. And this was for someone with considerable resources and support around them.

“We eventually found a combination of programs for Tarryn.

“Even though Tarryn ended up completing four different programs which included an extensive combination of education, therapy and participation-style programs, we were not able to meaningfully change his behaviour.”

North Melbourne CEO Jennifer Watt and president Dr Sonja Hood. Picture: Mark Stewart

Thomas, 24, still has ambitions to return to AFL football next season, despite his sacking from the Kangaroos.

He was banned by the AFL in February for 18 games for conduct unbecoming, following allegations that he engaged in multiple acts of misconduct, including threatening a woman over messaging applications.

He is not able to play football at any level until July 22, and must convince the AFL he has successfully completed a behavioural change program to have any chance of returning to the AFL system.

Tarryn Thomas must convince the AFL he has successfully completed a behavioural change program to have any chance of returning to the AFL system. Picture: Getty Images

The Kangaroos ran out of patience with Thomas and sacked him after the AFL ban, with Watt saying at the time: “We’ve now arrived at a point where the individual’s needs don’t match those of the club.”

The club suspended Thomas in early 2023 after police charged him with threatening to distribute an intimate image.

The charge was later dropped. He was instead charged with using a carrier service to harass, which was also dropped when he agreed to make a $1000 donation to a court fund.

Originally published as North Melbourne’s Tarryn Thomas warning for rival clubs revealed