Past #26: Tarryn Thomas [Part II] - will honor his contract and play on at NMFC in 2024, so says the reality TV manager

[Hearts to hearts]

I respect your perspective, but I have a slightly different view. Along with many others, my hard earned is putting a six figure salary in the Tarryn’s pocket, which I think entitles us to a view about how he treats the club. In that regard, my issue is not what he posts, but what he doesn’t, which is to say, not one thing about the team or his mates, who are trying to rebuild the club from a very low base. Tells us - in my view - where his priorities lie, and North Melbourne Football Club is apparently not high on the list - in which case, I’d be happy if I can have my money back

Not much of my membership if any winds up in Tarryn‘s pocket and I don’t think of the players that way. It would be great if he used his social media to show he feels like part of the team at the moment, but either he chooses not to or he actually doesn’t feel like that. We don’t know. A lot of guesswork going on in the absence of actual knowledge. Nothing to do except wait and see where the complaints go, what he decides to do, and how the club chooses to respond - and be grateful that with other changes at the club he’s gone from being a major piece in the rebuild to a guy we can either make good use of or manage ok without.

 

[ferball]

Ferbs, like you most of us have backed TT in since the very beginning, I remember a few years ago I thought Geraldo Healy was a borderline racist the way he constantly singled out TT for being a lazy, one-way runner.

You’ve repeatedly had his back over the journey and still do, but this latest stuff is the final straw for me.

I feel his close circle of acquaintances are using his AFL status to leech off him and give him poor advice. I remember Mike Tyson saying all the people he thought were his friends just fleeced him and as soon as he wasn’t relevant anymore they disappeared into thin air. The exact same will happen here.

From the club’s pov, he’s getting paid enormous money (not) to do a job that most of us dreamed about but never had the silky talent he has. After all the turmoil of the past three years and as we look to finally get some positivity he puts the club back on the front page again in a negative light.

To have a police investigation on you and be protected by the club, to being stood down indefinitely within a fortnight tells me he either doesn’t get it or he just doesn’t care.

Just on being stood down by the club, something that really disappointed me which hasn’t been discussed on here was in Todd’s first presser about the allegations he mentioned that TT fronted the leadership group and apologised (at the time I thought he may have turned the corner), but then in no time he’s stood down indefinitely.. it was all lip service straight to his team mates faces.

I keep comparing him to Jy, they both made mistakes as young blokes - we all did, but one knuckled down and is captain of the club and the other is potentially destroying his career.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up at either Gold Coast or at Poort with mummys boy next year because both suit his social lifestyle, right now he would be massive odds to be at Arden Street which is sad, but the train moves on..

I do get it. By all means write him off. I'm not judging people for that.

But while he's a player some of this stuff should be toned down. Especially because we've been as big an influence on his life as anything since he was 15 years old. His failure to learn to be a decent person is on us as much as anyone. This is a public forum where the stuff we type stays forever (unless it gets removed.) Its completely ****ed to turn on our own like this. We didn't do it to NCHF until after he stabbed us in the back and what he did was far worse in terms of how he treated the club.

See the bolded? I reckon its about the stupid "Still missing me post" he made. That's a mistake but not necessarily a case of him lying to his teammates faces. I might be wrong but I get the impression the club wants to make him realise the seriousness of what he's done in no uncertai terms but isn't prepared to cut him just yet. (Otherwise why waste time and energy on him?)

Surely we would have cut him by now wouldn't we, if we saw no hope or prospects or at least not made him do the programs. Wouldn't we? If he's not taking it at all seriously do you think someone like Viney would waste time on him?

Its been constantly pointed out that maturity is his problem and he's still only 22. These days people immature at 40 ffs and our whole society is all about extending adolescence into old age. Maybe it will take this to wake or grow him up.

Look at DeGoey. He's ****ed up for years and he's finally getting his shit together. He's on medication for behavioural/spectrum issues. Collingwood stuck by him after worse behaviour (as far as we can tell), (so far), and now its paying off. WE should do that unless we decide he'c completely beyond redemption. He's not Jack Mahony - his level of talent is bullshit high, it wouldn't be worth wasting a year or two of a contract on Jack cos he's not capable of winning games off his own boot. it sucks but unfortunately that's how this all works.

We want to be ruthless in the pursuit of success - this is part of what it entails.

And I'm good either way.

If he goes he goes. Its a waste but if it comes to that its on his own head and no one else ultimately. (Despite our failures to get him right over the time he's been with us. We failed with JHF too. SOmetimes you're in a situation where failure is the only option and its how you carry yourself thru that matters.) If treated my daughters like shit he might be missing a kneecap (depending on what he did), then how's he gonna play footy? I don't approve of that shit.

 

[ferball]

Adelaide media will eat him alive and he wont be able to go out anywhere. You know what its like living in a 2 team town. Any place TT went more than half the people would be wanting to give him s**t. Crows supporters despise Port players and if he's continued with his 'gangsta' life style he'll cop it where ever he goes.

Gold Coast, now that would be interesting. Cant wear your big gangsta jackets on the coast. GWS or Sydney would be the best clubs for him but I doubt very much is dick wad manager will give him good advice.

Its only overt bike club patches on the Goldy afaik. The crims that run that joint don't like competition or publicity. they don't even wear white shoes any more.

I did hear that as a result bike gangs wear us sporting gear to signal affliliations.

 

[LuvtheKangas]

Stop treating women like s**t, turn up fit and earn your money. All this can be achieveable by seasons end. I don't give a flying f**k about buy-in, what he likes, dislikes or tweets!

Well, if he doesn't have buy-in, there's zero chance he turns up fit and earns his money. So perhaps you should give a flying f**k about buy-in.

 

[Sphynx]

He’d be getting paid.

Weather or not he should be going down that path is something he might want to re assess.

Paid by who?

Nike? To attend a movie premier?

Get real.

He's not Kim Kardashian.

Most of the rest is all promoting Friday night melbourne nightclubs = Free Drink cards.

I think you have an inflated view of this stuff.

He's not a 200k+ instagram type.

 

[ferball]

Well, if he doesn't have buy-in, there's zero chance he turns up fit and earns his money. So perhaps you should give a flying f**k about buy-in.

He must have some level of "buy in" or he wouldn't have done the work to turn up to a VFL praccy game and run out four quarters in the midfield. Its not like he has any match fitness to get him thru in the pre season. And its a pretty low scale game. If his ego was completely out of control would he have bothered with that or thought it was beneath him?

Alot of people on here were very sceptical of him playing a half of footy in that game and expected him to have no fitness to run out the game cos they think he doesn't give a shit. To me he wouldn't have been able to do what he did if he hadn't made some effort during the pre season. It was a bit of a litmus test for me to see where he was at wrt to playing footy or ****ing around.

 

[LuvtheKangas]

He must have some level of "buy in" or he wouldn't have done the work to turn up to a VFL praccy game and run out four quarters in the midfield. Its not like he has any match fitness to get him thru in the pre season. And its a pretty low scale game. If his ego was completely out of control would he have bothered with that or thought it was beneath him?

Alot of people on here were very sceptical of him playing a half of footy in that game and expected him to have no fitness to run out the game cos they think he doesn't give a s*t. To me he wouldn't have been able to do what he did if he hadn't made some effort during the pre season. It was a bit of a litmus test for me to see where he was at wrt to playing footy or ****** around.

Mate, you defence of him is admirable, but it's time to open both eyes. You're giving him credit for running out half a game of VFL.

In saying that, his fitness is not the main issue here. I'm repeating myself from last week, but my view is that a prolific user of social media not posting anything about his team - at a time when he's on the outer and should be doing everything he can to show his commitment - is telling. The film premier photo is harmless by itself, but it's a continuation of the process of snubbing the club in his interactions with the general public.

Where TF is his management team, who should be telling him to at least pretend he cares.

 

[King Corey]

Gotta be mindful that personal opinions vs sound ethical conduct vs what it takes to be a successful footballer are all different things.

Personally I think rampant Instagram "look at me"-ers and quoting gangsta lyrics is naff.

I also don't like the entire whiff around some of the guy's conduct, even if the allegations are disproven would guess there is some pretty unsavoury conduct (in my opinion) in play.

However neither of these criticisms can be extrapolated to conclude he's an unprofessional footballer. Unless you have inside word there, how would any of us know?

It's been covered many times here but restating it - there are plenty of very successful players past and present who are complete tip-rats and scum. A lot of us would want nothing to do with them personally. But yet we'll happily cheer them on on match day.

And as also covered previously, there's plenty of fantastic people who have been excellent AFL players any you'd be proud to know.

But neither category automatically translates to being a successful AFL player. If Tarryn didn't have legal issues hanging over him he'd be in the team right now regardless of any social media narcissism.

 

[LuvtheKangas]

If Tarryn didn't have legal issues hanging over him he'd be in the team right now regardless of any social media narcissism.

True, and if he was playing well, we'd all say he has great personal life / club commitment balance.

And if he's not playing well, we'd be saying he's too focused on his personal life.

But that's all moot, he's miles away from being in the team at present.

 

[ferball]

Mate, you defence of him is admirable, but it's time to open both eyes. You're giving him credit for running out half a game of VFL.

In saying that, his fitness is not the main issue here. I'm repeating myself from last week, but my view is that a prolific user of social media not posting anything about his team - at a time when he's on the outer and should be doing everything he can to show his commitment - is telling. The film premier photo is harmless by itself, but it's a continuation of the process of snubbing the club in his interactions with the general public.

Where TF is his management team, who should be telling him to at least pretend he cares.

No I'm saying he played the whole game when people expected him to play half a game. Because he did. And he was already being written off on that expectation before the game! I followed it and he ran the game out into the last quarter when he got injured flying for a mark.

But what if he's been told not to associate himself with the team online while this legal stuff is hanging over his head because that is a bad look for the club? That seems obvious to me. Anything he posts that involves us will result in an anti North shitfest. If he's not at the club for those reasons he can't be associated with us online. And if I was at the club I'd be telling him not to. Maybe his manager did tell him that as well tho honestly he seems like an incompetent ****wit.

One thing i did notice when I looked at his insta was that in most of the photos I saw he was wearing what he wore to court or something similar. The only real colourful outfit he wore was a blue and white tracksuit. Our colours but no logos or anything.

We have staff with him in court tho.

Anyway as far as defending him goes. i gave it to him last year on here after the Hawthorn game where CJ flogged him. I saw all his social media bullshit that year because most of it ended up on here and he was carrying on like a ****wit. And I said as much in this thread or the autopsy one.

In his second game he'd had 10 possessions in about a third of the game then got injured seriously while smothering the ball with 100% commitment. And after that i was fine with it. Until I heard all this shit. (It wasn't a good sign tho.) Because I assumed he'd knuckle down and play properly after being embarrassed by his opponent.

Anyway lets compare how he's treated in the media with old mate from Collingwood after those latest comments were publicised. Its not exactly the same behaviour but it comes from the same place.

 

[JGreezy]

The club really stuck their neck out for him. Firstly by trying to deal with last year's allegations quietly. Then by sticking by him and giving him a second/third chance earlier this year.

North have taken heat and reputational damage from both of those things, whether justified or not.

It's the fact that he seemingly doesn't care and takes that for granted that really bothers me.

 

[LuvtheKangas]

But what if he's been told not to associate himself with the team online while this legal stuff is hanging over his head because that is a bad look for the club? That seems obvious to me. Anything he posts that involves us will result in an anti North shitfest. If he's not at the club for those reasons he can't be associated with us online. And if I was at the club I'd be telling him not to. Maybe his manager did tell him that as well tho honestly he seems like an incompetent *******.

If that was really the strategy around his social media use in the current circumstances, anyone involved in deciding that was a good idea has failed PR 101.

I don't buy that he can't be associated with us online. It would mean pretending to the world that he's not still a listed player.

 

[blackshadow]

If that was really the strategy around his social media use in the current circumstances, anyone involved in deciding that was a good idea has failed PR 101.

I don't buy that he can't be associated with us online. It would mean pretending to the world that he's not still a listed player.

It would be a very good look for him to have posted something after the Freo win.

Something like “fantastic win boys, wish I was there but I’m working hard to get back as soon as possible”.

A message or two of support for Sonja through her cancer stuff.

It’s pretty simple stuff.

 

[Val Keating]

Paid by who?

Nike? To attend a movie premier?

Get real.

He's not Kim Kardashian.

Most of the rest is all promoting Friday night melbourne nightclubs = Free Drink cards.

I think you have an inflated view of this stuff.

He's not a 200k+ instagram type.

Don’t know who’s paying him.

The girl I was referring to earlier had it as her sole income and she only had 25k followers.

 

[King Corey]

Just can't see how his lack of social media team first stuff means anything.

He's a seemingly immature 22yo kid in the midst of a lot of attention, ego padding and distraction. Judging his lack of "Go Team' posts from any of our perspectives is meaningless.

If nobody here has ever had a bit of a "me before team" huff (at least in your own head) in any workplace at any stage of their life, then kudos you're a better person than I am.

 

[Mcarcherey]

Adelaide media will eat him alive and he wont be able to go out anywhere. You know what its like living in a 2 team town. Any place TT went more than half the people would be wanting to give him s**t. Crows supporters despise Port players and if he's continued with his 'gangsta' life style he'll cop it where ever he goes.

Gold Coast, now that would be interesting. Cant wear your big gangsta jackets on the coast. GWS or Sydney would be the best clubs for him but I doubt very much is dick wad manager will give him good advice.

GWS and Sydney have too much of a clean image to risk recruiting him.

he's the perfect candidate for richmond, they'll get him for nothing, TT will probably hit rock bottom and relish the opportunity richmond give him and richmond will be credited with their awesome culture for turning him around.

 

[speedy]

Well, if he doesn't have buy-in, there's zero chance he turns up fit and earns his money. So perhaps you should give a flying f**k about buy-in.

No, he doesn't have to love the club or his teamates or even love football. He can still perform gameday without that.

 

[north_lad]

GWS and Sydney have too much of a clean image to risk recruiting him.

he's the perfect candidate for richmond, they'll get him for nothing, TT will probably hit rock bottom and relish the opportunity richmond give him and richmond will be credited with their awesome culture for turning him around.

His cousin plays there so I think that's where he will go

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

No I'm saying he played the whole game when people expected him to play half a game. Because he did. And he was already being written off on that expectation before the game! I followed it and he ran the game out into the last quarter when he got injured flying for a mark.

But what if he's been told not to associate himself with the team online while this legal stuff is hanging over his head because that is a bad look for the club? That seems obvious to me. Anything he posts that involves us will result in an anti North shitfest. If he's not at the club for those reasons he can't be associated with us online. And if I was at the club I'd be telling him not to. Maybe his manager did tell him that as well tho honestly he seems like an incompetent *******.

One thing i did notice when I looked at his insta was that in most of the photos I saw he was wearing what he wore to court or something similar. The only real colourful outfit he wore was a blue and white tracksuit. Our colours but no logos or anything.

We have staff with him in court tho.

Anyway as far as defending him goes. i gave it to him last year on here after the Hawthorn game where CJ flogged him. I saw all his social media bullshit that year because most of it ended up on here and he was carrying on like a *******. And I said as much in this thread or the autopsy one.

In his second game he'd had 10 possessions in about a third of the game then got injured seriously while smothering the ball with 100% commitment. And after that i was fine with it. Until I heard all this s**t. (It wasn't a good sign tho.) Because I assumed he'd knuckle down and play properly after being embarrassed by his opponent.

Anyway lets compare how he's treated in the media with old mate from Collingwood after those latest comments were publicised. Its not exactly the same behaviour but it comes from the same place.

This is the key point - if some on here are condemning the bloke purely because he's not using his social media channels to post supportive comments about the team, then they would want to be sure that this isn't something that the club has requested.

 

[LuvtheKangas]

This is the key point - if some on here are condemning the bloke purely because he's not using his social media channels to post supportive comments about the team, then they would want to be sure that this isn't something that the club has requested.

I already responded to the post you quoted, but if the club are behind that, they've totally misread the room. Supporters want to see signs that TT wants to be part of the club, not ongoing evidence of his flippant attitude and nightlife exploits.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

It would be a very good look for him to have posted something after the Freo win.

Something like “fantastic win boys, wish I was there but I’m working hard to get back as soon as possible”.

A message or two of support for Sonja through her cancer stuff.

It’s pretty simple stuff.

Unless you have access to Sonja's inbox, you don't know that TT hasn't sent her support throughout her recovery. Doing so publicly when you have direct contact is performative and cynical.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

I already responded to the post you quoted, but if the club are behind that, they've totally misread the room. Supporters want to see signs that TT wants to be part of the club, not ongoing evidence of his flippant attitude and nightlife exploits.

The point that both Ferball and Hearts to Hearts made so much better than me is that we just don't know if there are valid reasons why TT hasn't used his social media to post support for the team. Potting him for not doing so may be misplaced. Maybe it's the club's request, maybe there's some other reason. And maybe he sent flowers and chocolates to every member of the winning team in Perth. I'm just not prepared to criticize the bloke over things I don't know enough about.

 

[Kangaroos techno]

Just can't see how his lack of social media team first stuff means anything.

He's a seemingly immature 22yo kid in the midst of a lot of attention, ego padding and distraction. Judging his lack of "Go Team' posts from any of our perspectives is meaningless.

If nobody here has ever had a bit of a "me before team" huff (at least in your own head) in any workplace at any stage of their life, then kudos you're a better person than I am.

It means plenty. The team are young and we're starved of success. Look what Clarkson is doing - the ripping down of walls, visits to his farm, the coaching on the sidelines...
The club with their 'Inner North' and message of being together as one. Sonja is pushing the community aspect too.

Players are going to have selfish moments but if they keep building you better believe you're going to freeze yourself out.

You said it yourself - somethings are so trivial and yet he can't even do those, at a time when he's attitude is being questioned. That says it all to be honest and that seems to be opposite to what Clarkson expects.

Given how much Clarkson takes from coaches/manages from other codes I'd have no doubt he would have watched Arsenal's 'All or Nothing' and compared himself to Arteta - coaching a once great team that hasn't won in a while, disjointed fan base, divided locker room with plenty of egos. He had to purge the bad eggs, go youth, and get buy in from everyone (including the fans). Early days he copped criticism on how he froze out the stars but the club, players, and fans backed him in. Now everyone has buy in and trusts the process. The bad eggs being ejected from the locker room was one of the big variables that helped.

Clarkson is in the beginning stages of that now. We can all say "yeah but Carey or what about player x"...the situation and the circumstances are different. At this stage of our development Clarkson's message is law and it has to be because what we've been doing isn't working.

One bad egg was removed (JHF) and another is being frozen out (TT). Hopefully he gets the message before it's too late.

 

[r_boy]

It means plenty. The team are young and we're starved of success. Look what Clarkson is doing - the ripping down of walls, visits to his farm, the coaching on the sidelines...
The club with their 'Inner North' and message of being together as one. Sonja is pushing the community aspect too.

Players are going to have selfish moments but if they keep building you better believe you're going to freeze yourself out.

You said it yourself - somethings are so trivial and yet he can't even do those, at a time when he's attitude is being questioned. That says it all to be honest and that seems to be opposite to what Clarkson expects.

Given how much Clarkson takes from coaches/manages from other codes I'd have no doubt he would have watched Arsenal's 'All or Nothing' and compared himself to Arteta - coaching a once great team that hasn't won in a while, disjointed fan base, divided locker room with plenty of egos. He had to purge the bad eggs, go youth, and get buy in from everyone (including the fans). Early days he copped criticism on how he froze out the stars but the club, players, and fans backed him in. Now everyone has buy in and trusts the process. The bad eggs being ejected from the locker room was one of the big variables that helped.

Clarkson is in the beginning stages of that now. We can all say "yeah but Carey or what about player x"...the situation and the circumstances are different. At this stage of our development Clarkson's message is law and it has to be because what we've been doing isn't working.

One bad egg was removed (JHF) and another is being frozen out (TT). Hopefully he gets the message before it's too late.

I agree there is a new standard being set in the locker room but I would also say we don't actually know what Tarryn is like in the locker room. We're speculating based on social media, it's not the most insightful source of information and I don't put much weight in it personally.

 

[RHLK]

View attachment 1650762

Jaysus! The AFL couldn't decide between an image of Norm Smith or a football, so they combined the two? Has his family sued? Did Norm have any peripheral vision?