Tarryn Thomas hopes to train with VFL club in coming weeks but needs green light from AFL
As he eyes a return to football at a VFL club within weeks, it can be revealed the AFL won’t issue Tarryn Thomas with a lifetime ban from the sport. JON RALPH details why.
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Tarryn Thomas is long odds to play football at any level this season as the AFL ensures he makes profound changes before he is allowed back to the game.
In a week where the league’s coaches and players made a public stand against violence against women, Thomas’ potential return to the game has inflamed tensions.
Essendon’s Brad Scott labelled his former player a “good person” who had “made some terrible mistakes” after engaging in multiple acts of misconduct that involved threatening women via messages.
Under the terms of Thomas’ 18-week AFL ban he is able to play at state level from July 22 onwards if he can prove he has completed or is satisfactorily progressing with a behavioural change program.
The Herald Sun revealed last week he was intent on making an AFL comeback in 2025 and was confident he would find a new home given the level of interest.
Thomas is also keen to train with a state league club in coming weeks ahead of a potential return in a state league.
But it is understood he would need to prove that he had made significant ground towards changing his behaviour to even be granted permission to train with any club.
The league will not see his eventual return as a box-ticking exercise, with legal boss Stephen Meade needing to be convinced he can change his ways in a life-changing manner after multiple chances.
The most likely outcome is that Thomas plays no football in 2024 at any level and then is given the chance to prove himself ahead of a 2025 return.
The AFL believes its 18-game ban showed how seriously it took his issues given only Ben Cousins in 2007 has been handed a longer penalty under the league’s conduct unbecoming rule in recent times.
But the league is not prepared to hand Thomas a lifetime ban given its belief in the power of a second chance.
There is also the legal issue of Thomas not having been convicted of any serious crimes, which would complicate any attempt to sideline him for longer than a season.
Thomas was found guilty of using a carriage service to harass last year but spared conviction after a more serious charge of threatening to distribute an intimate image was dropped.
A magistrate labelled his threats to distribute an intimate video as “harassing”, “inappropriate” and “unacceptable”.
Multiple women had come forward with allegations against Thomas, which saw him stood down twice in 2023 before being sacked by the Roos in February this year.
The AFL told the Herald Sun last week Thomas would need permission even to train with a football club, which he did not currently have.
“Thomas is not available to play at any level of Australian Football until after his 18-game suspension is completed on 22 July and is subject to his compliance with both his sanction and satisfactory progress with his behavioural change program. Both requiring AFL approval, and both of which have not happened. Thomas may only train with another club (at any level) if approved by the AFL, which again has not happened,” AFL spokesman Jay Allan said.
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Originally published as Tarryn Thomas hopes to train with VFL club in coming weeks but needs green light from AFL
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