Speculation Tarryn Thomas

[BloodySwan]

Yep, if it's ok for an ex-drug dealer who most likely ruined countless lives and families through dealing meth then a little bit of domestic violence shouldn't be a problem for the AFL.

Crazy that these types of criminals are allowed to play AFL

Pickett actually went to prison for his actions. So he's paid his dues

The issue is Thomas hasn't really been punished. He's managed to get away with everything he has done.

 

[Jazny]

My concerns are twofold. I'm concerned about potential victims and worried about Tarryn. I worry about Tarryn outside of a structured environment and know that prior to a lot of this stuff occurring he lost someone very close to him who was a strong paternal figure in his life. It is more of a nuanced issue when one looks a bit deeper at the issues he has had. If he is given another chance without the above being addressed properly, then fans of all clubs have a right to be pissed off.

Good response. You aren't the kind of person I mentioned in my last paragraph and I am completely understanding of why North fans are angry. But I feel like I have seen some comments from a minority of fans that seem to be just wishing for bad outcomes for Tarryn only because they don't want to see him play AFL for a different team, those were the fans I was referring to.

 

[Jazny]

Pickett actually went to prison for his actions. So he's paid his dues

The issue is Thomas hasn't really been punished. He's managed to get away with everything he has done.

Tarryn went to court and the judge ruled what he did was able to be settled as a diversion and not conviction and the complainant must have agreed if my understanding of how diversions work is correct. There was no conviction, who are you to say the judge and complainant got that wrong? In the latest part to it, the AFL found him worth of an 18 week suspension and he was sacked. How is that not punished?

 

[BloodySwan]

Tarryn went to court and the judge ruled what he did was able to be settled as a diversion and not conviction and the complainant must have agreed if my understanding of how diversions work is correct. There was no conviction, who are you to say the judge and complainant got that wrong? In the latest part to it, the AFL found him worth of an 18 week suspension and he was sacked. How is that not punished?

When you and I get sacked you stop getting paid.

Thomas is still in negotiations with North. They don't want to pay him the 700k per yr they owe him, he's not going to agree for that to go, it's just going to be shifted away from their salary cap.

 

[Bojan KantKick]

Pickett actually went to prison for his actions. So he's paid his dues

The issue is Thomas hasn't really been punished. He's managed to get away with everything he has done.

He wasn't punished heavily by the courts but he did lose his job, potentially his career (in football or another industry) and a structured environment. He was not paid out in full. I wouldn't call that getting away with anything unless you believe punishment = jail time.

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

It won't happen.

Maybe in the 70s or 80s he would've been welcomed back with open arms but society has changed a lot since then and so too has the game.

We're not talking about a part-time gig here. There's a lot of money involved in the game now and with that comes added layers of responsibility.

Footy players represent their clubs and the code and their responsibilities extend far beyond what they do or don't produce on the field.

We have clubs aligning themselves with all sorts of social causes including domestic violence. We have players attending and running clinics at schools and visiting hospitals and doing great work in their communities.

Each club has a women's program. Most if not all would have female representation on the board, many of whom would be involved with NFPs and other organizations involved with the advancement of women, marginalized and underpriviledged groups, if not the prevention of domestic violence itself.

We have fans paying hundreds if not thousands of dollars per year in memberships, many who feel strongly about these issues. Many of whom have been directly affected by such issues.

We have sponsors paying god knows how much to clubs.

All of this is jepoardized - either wholly or in part - by a club welcoming someone like Tarryn Thomas back into the fold.

The idea was addressed yesterday and it was met with a level of backlash. That's got nothing on what's coming the way of a club or the league itself if they pursue this. It would be a disastrous move.

This isn't about giving 2nd chances. This isn't about rehabilitation. I hope Tarryn can turn his life around but there's plenty of other industries he can do that in that won't be anywhere near as impacted by any of the above.

He was in an enormously priviledged position and he pissed it all away. He can now enter the 'real world' and rehabilitate away from the spotlight.

Honestly, the AFL isn't without blame here. They've seen the flames and they've done nothing to put them out when really they ought to.

They should just end this now and deregister him. For his sake as much as their own.

Think it will happen J.

Look at Brad Scott already softening up the Bombers stakeholders. Supporters from northern states generally won't know his story. Plenty of clubs will see him as a huge addition for nothing, he could turn a decent side into a contender.

I'd hate for Carlton to pick him up. 100% with Bartel on this one. But the AFL culture is win loss first ethics second.

 

[BloodySwan]

He wasn't punished heavily by the courts but he did lose his job, potentially his career (in football or another industry) and a structured environment. He was not paid out in full. I wouldn't call that getting away with anything unless you believe punishment = jail time.

If he plays next yr what was the punishment?

North haven't cleared him off their books yet. So he'll likely still get paid out for the yr.

If he gets picked up he hasn't ruined his career.

All he's gotten is a paid holiday and a new club

 

[Jazny]

All he's gotten is a paid holiday and a new club

That can't be your actual opinion.

 

[Jeremias]

Think it will happen J.

Look at Brad Scott already softening up the Bombers stakeholders. Supporters from northern states generally won't know his story. Plenty of clubs will see him as a huge addition for nothing, he could turn a decent side into a contender.

I'd hate for Carlton to pick him up. 100% with Bartel on this one. But the AFL culture is win loss first ethics second.

If it does…god help the club that makes the mistake. It will be a circus.

It won’t be Carlton. Not with the Carlton Respects program, and certainly not with Patty Kinnersley on the board, who is CEO of Our Watch.

 

[Bojan KantKick]

If he plays next yr what was the punishment?

North haven't cleared him off their books yet. So he'll likely still get paid out for the yr.

If he gets picked up he hasn't ruined his career.

All he's gotten is a paid holiday and a new club

That's assuming he is picked up by a new club next year.

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

If it does…god help the club that makes the mistake. It will be a circus.

It won’t be Carlton. Not with the Carlton Respects program, and certainly not with Patty Kinnersley on the board, who is CEO of Our Watch.

Confident it won't be us. We are better than him.

 

[Yoda_]

Think it will happen J.

Look at Brad Scott already softening up the Bombers stakeholders. Supporters from northern states generally won't know his story. Plenty of clubs will see him as a huge addition for nothing, he could turn a decent side into a contender.

I'd hate for Carlton to pick him up. 100% with Bartel on this one. But the AFL culture is win loss first ethics second.

On one hand I am saying, yes because it is the sort of player that we generally steer well clear of. Think Jordan De Goey, think Dustin Martin, think Clayton Oliver. They are a little bit (in this case a lot) on the edge. If Brad got him to Essendon, it would be the new chapter at Essendon that this is Brad Scotts ship.

On the other hand, it is Tarryn Thomas and his well publicised downright stupid, repetitive actions that will likely continue despite all the talk






I do not want

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

On one hand I am saying, yes because it is the sort of player that we generally steer well clear of. Think Jordan De Goey, think Dustin Martin, think Clayton Oliver. They are a little bit (in this case a lot) on the edge. If Brad got him to Essendon, it would be the new chapter at Essendon that this is Brad Scotts ship.

On the other hand, it is Tarryn Thomas and his well publicised downright stupid, repetitive actions that will likely continue despite all the talk






I do not want

I guess Brad would know him better than most, though that should probably steer him further away from his recruitment.

 

[Sphynx]

This is obviously a very sensitive thing to talk about and I certaintly hope nobody tries to argue what Tarryn did was okay, or anything other than unacceptable. But is it really something that warrants him never playing again at the highest level? I don't think I can agree with that based on what we publically know. Even the AFL didn't give him a life suspension and they know much more than we do.

I agree with what Lyon said today "Life sentences don’t even get imposed at a custodial level, so it’s interesting we are talking about life for a young player that hopefully can be educated and trained to grab hold of his opportunity in life"

Then on top of this there is the indigenous side of things and his rough childhood. None of that excuses his actions, but I think it is more than fair if we invest in people more so who come from disadvantage and can work on their behavour inside the system rather than just outcasting them forever. It would be different for different cases, there are levels of abuse, it's not one size fits all.

Also Patty Kinnersly from Our Watch “I think if an individual can demonstrate significant effort to understand their behaviour and to make genuine change, then there could be an opportunity for further chances, but I think it’s a case-by-case issue.”

IMO it should be up to Tarryn now to demonstrate to the AFL that he has made this effort to make change and understand what he has done wrong.

North fans might be upset, but if they are the kind of person who base their whole opinion just on them not wanting to see him play for another team, rather than what's best for everyone involved, then I'm not sure that those people should even really be listened to on this topic.

Based on extremely similar guidelines he would be deregistered and not allowed to play in any football competition in any state in the country, ever again. Let alone just the highest level.

The only loophole here is, his suspension wasn’t handed down by a tribunal, but the AFL executive instead.

He has well exceeded the 16 week suspension total threshold for deregistration.

There’s numerous examples of AFL players dropping down to local football having exceeded this threshold and not being able to play football, at any level ever again.

In terms of your earlier comment. The AFL and their legal council spent 2 weeks trying to figure out a legal avenue for automatic termination. They settled on the 18 weeks no doubt in lieu of an unfair dismissal law suit from Ben Williams and his cronies.

 

[kaiserchief13]

This is obviously a very sensitive thing to talk about and I certaintly hope nobody tries to argue what Tarryn did was okay, or anything other than unacceptable. But is it really something that warrants him never playing again at the highest level? I don't think I can agree with that based on what we publically know. Even the AFL didn't give him a life suspension and they know much more than we do.

I agree with what Lyon said today "Life sentences don’t even get imposed at a custodial level, so it’s interesting we are talking about life for a young player that hopefully can be educated and trained to grab hold of his opportunity in life"

Then on top of this there is the indigenous side of things and his rough childhood. None of that excuses his actions, but I think it is more than fair if we invest in people more so who come from disadvantage and can work on their behavour inside the system rather than just outcasting them forever. It would be different for different cases, there are levels of abuse, it's not one size fits all.

Also Patty Kinnersly from Our Watch “I think if an individual can demonstrate significant effort to understand their behaviour and to make genuine change, then there could be an opportunity for further chances, but I think it’s a case-by-case issue.”

IMO it should be up to Tarryn now to demonstrate to the AFL that he has made this effort to make change and understand what he has done wrong.

North fans might be upset, but if they are the kind of person who base their whole opinion just on them not wanting to see him play for another team, rather than what's best for everyone involved, then I'm not sure that those people should even really be listened to on this topic.

What did he actually do?

 

[Jeremias]

What did he actually do?

What he is alleged to have done is well documented. This isn’t really the place for that discussion.

 

[kaiserchief13]

What he is alleged to have done is well documented. This isn’t really the place for that discussion.

Tarryn Thomas sacked by Roos, banned for all of 2024 as AFL hands down strong verdict

‘Tarryn needs help’: Star sacked by Roos, banned for 2024 as AFL hands down verdict

www.foxsports.com.au

That AFL probe found Thomas had “engaged multiple acts of misconduct including threatening a woman via direct messages multiple times.”

Bit hard for anyone to judge without knowing specifics and whether he deserves another chance or not.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Perfect player for the Blues structurally but we won't go anywhere near him and rightfully so. Scum of the earth type flog who belongs in prison not on our TVs each week raking in hundreds of thousands.

I could see him ending up at the Saints, Don's or Geelong. Nobody else while Mcrae is in charge at the Pies imo.

 

[Jeremias]

Bit hard for anyone to judge without knowing specifics and whether he deserves another chance or not.

Not really, the only specifics that we need to know are that he was sacked by North, suspended by the league, and has fronted the courts.

The specifics of the case - and subsequent discussion about the charges are, whether he’s really guilty etc. - are not for here.

Thanks.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Not really, the only specifics that we need to know are that he was sacked by North, suspended by the league, and has fronted the courts.

The specifics of the case - and subsequent discussion about the charges are, whether he’s really guilty etc. - are not for here.

Thanks.

Not for here? So if a player gets suspended by the league for:

a) Sending abusive text messages to a woman or
b) Belting a woman

It doesn't matter which of the above the player has done to work out if they deserve another chance?

 

[Jeremias]

Not for here? So if a player gets suspended by the league for:

a) Sending abusive text messages to a woman or
b) Belting a woman

It doesn't matter which of the above the player has done to work out if they deserve another chance?

No, not for the purpose of this thread.

There are tens of other threads across the site where you can argue to your heart’s content that Tarryn was hard done by.

It’s not a discussion we want to entertain on here.

 

[MisterMarcus]

Not for here? So if a player gets suspended by the league for:

a) Sending abusive text messages to a woman or
b) Belting a woman

It doesn't matter which of the above the player has done to work out if they deserve another chance?

Even if we don’t know the exact details…the fact a struggling club has sacked him and the AFL has suspended him for basically the season, shows the level of what he did.

 

[Vindicater]

 

[Saab NLAW]

Pickett actually went to prison for his actions. So he's paid his dues

The issue is Thomas hasn't really been punished. He's managed to get away with everything he has done.

And how many families are still paying for his actions? How many lives ruined, how many people did he kill who overdosed.

My opinion is pretty simple, you do jail time for a serious crime then you should not be able to play AFL, you do not deserve that privilege. Absolutely appalling that the AFL have allowed him to play AFL.

 

[Pomsta]

On one hand I am saying, yes because it is the sort of player that we generally steer well clear of. Think Jordan De Goey, think Dustin Martin, think Clayton Oliver. They are a little bit (in this case a lot) on the edge. If Brad got him to Essendon, it would be the new chapter at Essendon that this is Brad Scotts ship.

On the other hand, it is Tarryn Thomas and his well publicised downright stupid, repetitive actions that will likely continue despite all the talk






I do not want

Yet you did pick up Stringer