Multiple women have detailed allegations to the AFL of threats and harassment by Tarryn Thomas

Multiple women have contacted the AFL detailing allegations of harassment and threatening and intimidating behaviour by Tarryn Thomas.

Tarryn Thomas. Picture: Getty Images

Multiple women have detailed allegations to the AFL of harassment and threatening and intimidating behaviour by North Melbourne star Tarryn Thomas.

At least one of the women has been provided with a psychologist by the league after being hospitalised as a result of an incident last year.

The AFL said the behaviour alleged to them was “family violence” and offered to facilitate meetings with detectives from a family violence investigation unit.

Thomas, 22, has faced no disciplinary action from the league or his club over his alleged conduct.

He was charged this month with threatening to distribute an intimate image following a three-month police investigation involving another woman.

Tarryn Thomas during a VFL match last season.

Allegations against Thomas detailed to the AFL integrity unit include:

● Telling a woman he wanted to beat her and calling her names such as “a slut”.

● Throwing a lamp at a woman in a hotel room.

● Sending threatening text messages, declaring “your time is coming” and that he was “going to bash” a woman’s friend.

● A verbal and physical altercation at a Prahran nightclub.

The AFL integrity department informed one of the women last July that the behaviour alleged to them was “not acceptable”.

In a flurry of text messages, Thomas tells a woman: “You’re a f —king joke … keep talking sh-t … sh-t going to come around soon … your turn will come … sh-t is going to go down … I’m not a n---- to be f —ked with.”

Another woman claimed of Thomas in a text to friends last year: “I’m too scared … i know he’s gonna kill me”.

Another victim has detailed how Thomas sent intimate pictures he had taken of her to others.

Two of the women have expressed disappointment at the AFL’s handling of their complaints.

One victim told the Herald Sun: “It’s discouraging to see that the AFL and North Melbourne are aware how many women have (made allegations against Tarryn), yet it is still being overlooked.

Thomas is considered one of North Melbourne’s most talented young players.

“It feels as though Tarryn is untouchable and the women he has affected have been silenced, due to fear and power imbalance. The women affected have been offered counselling sessions by the AFL which just feels like an attempt to keep us at bay by making us feel like they care and are supporting us so we are less inclined to speak up.

“Tarryn is being treated like he has committed a white-collar crime but there is nothing white-collar about threatening, intimidating, abusing, assaulting and stalking multiple women. This makes me feel like he is untouchable and on a pedestal and I question whether this would be the same had it been a different player or team”.

The AFL reached out to several of the women on Monday after the Herald Sun put questions to the league about Thomas’ alleged conduct.

The move caused further distress to one victim who claimed: “The AFL just protect their own, they don’t care. I’m over it.

“Tarryn hasn’t had a ban or fine or taken a pay cut, hasn’t put out any public statements, hasn’t made any public or personal apologies, North Melbourne haven’t done any of that either. All they did was cover up for him all year last year while he played VFL because he was too busy partying, stalking girls, threatening us and going to court. They covered it all up.

“He’s psychologically traumatised me for the rest of my life. I’m in so much treatment to work through the damage he’s caused”.

Thomas has played 57 games for North Melbourne.

An AFL spokesperson said on Tuesday: “Any allegation of threats of violence against women is unacceptable and is behaviour that the AFL takes extremely seriously. The AFL has worked with Victoria Police regarding North Melbourne player Tarryn Thomas and after receiving some new information put to us by the Herald Sun, the AFL reached out directly to those persons known to us.

“The AFL has offered and will continue to provide wellbeing support to any person who has come forward with an allegation.

“The AFL has investigated all formal complaints where appropriate and where there have been allegations of criminal behaviour have facilitated contact with Victoria Police who are the most appropriate body to investigate allegations of that nature.

“Tarryn Thomas is currently the subject of criminal charges over a reported incident and while that matter is yet to be finalised in court, the AFL will continue to work with NMFC and Victoria Police and will monitor the outcome of the police action.”

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

North Melbourne declined to comment.

Thomas, drafted at pick eight in the 2018 AFL draft, is regarded as one of North’s most promising players.

Originally published as Multiple women have detailed allegations to the AFL of threats and harassment by Tarryn Thomas