Past #26: Tarryn Thomas [Part III] - [C.Twomey] AFL rules TT is eligible to play in all competitions as of 14 October

[tricknologist]

More than anything, TT was a fool to remain in a relationship with this woman after the first round of allegations.

Alternatively, if he's behaved inappropriately and grossly towards this woman then he could've just not done that. He's an actual adult with agency, not a child.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

I’d be interested to see how TT has breached his contract, as you would imagine this behaviour would have been perpetrated in private and not in his position as an AFL footballer.

So what you're saying is you'd like to know if there's a behavioural clause in a standard AFL contract that extends beyond time at a football club for training or stadium on match day.

 

[DesertRoo]

Fair enough. Not all 44 blokes had the upbringing TT had but ultimately it’s clear you got no interest in any excuses for TT.

If you’re going to make an example of someone, you always pick the kid from a disadvantaged background.

Unofficial rules of privilege.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

harassing someone with a carriage service is abuse, and IS DV.

AND IT WAS DROPPED. NOT CONVICTED OF DV.

This isn't strictly true though resides in "technically true" hence it's easy to see where real absolution came from.

It was a charge of threatening to distribute an intimate image and after Tarryn went through a large number of "offending programs" (behavioural change/social media etc) the prosecution agreed to a downgrade charge of using a carrier service to harass which was then discontinued under a diversion program on the premise Tarryn paid $1000 to the court fund, with the magistrate imploring him to use his status and redemption arc as a way to be a mentor to indigenous youth with mental health issues. He worked his arse off to prove he shouldn't have this on his permanent criminal record. I guess this is why so many are disappointed that this may end up being recent allegations as he had all of that hanging over him, was given a second chance and may have blown it within months.

As Filthy says, the charge of threatening to distribute an intimate image was downgraded to a charge of using a carriage service to harass, for which the judge granted TT a diversion, allowing him to escape criminal conviction. Upon payment of the fine, the harassment charge was withdrawn.

 

[big_e]

I’d be interested to see how TT has breached his contract, as you would imagine this behaviour would have been perpetrated in private and not in his position as an AFL footballer.

Here's the AFL's Respect and Responsibility Policy: https://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL Tenant/AFL/Files/AFL-Respect-and-Responsibility-Policy.pdf

Under the heading SCOPE, it says:

SCOPE
The AFL’s approach to management of breaches of our Respect and Responsibility Policy contemplates three scenarios:
1. Staff issues: Issues of sexual harassment, sexual or other assault and discrimination on the basis of sex, pregnancy, family responsibility, gender identity and sexual orientation or intersex status which involve AFL staff, officials, players during the course of their work, but not by members of the public.
2. Public issues: Issues of unacceptable behavior which involve AFL personnel and members of the public, or AFL personnel conduct outside AFL work.
3. Recognition issues: A mechanism for the AFL and Clubs to consider how issues of alleged or proven unacceptable conduct in personal life of AFL personnel will impact their ongoing recognition as a leader of the game and in our community.

This protocol will be used to guide the handling of incidents and/or complaints under the second and third scenarios, and has as its sole focus the complaints of incidents by persons (including members of the public, AFL officials or players) against AFL officials or players.

Issues only involving AFL staff are matters for the GM of People and Culture under AFL employment policies, and existing legislation. This is for final decision by the Commission The complaints process for community football is set out in the MPP (details/hyperlink).

---

Further, the AFL Rules (https://resources.afl.com.au/afl/do.../Amended-AFL-Rules-effective-2-March-2022.pdf) say:

A Person must not engage in conduct which is unbecoming or likely to prejudice the interests or reputation of the AFL or to bring the game of football into disrepute.
Without limiting the ordinary and legal meaning of any words in Rule 2.3(a), a Person shall be deemed to have engaged in conduct which is unbecoming or likely to prejudice the reputation or interests of the AFL or to bring the game of football into disrepute if a reasonable person would regard that conduct as unbecoming or likely to prejudice the reputation or interests of the AFL or to bring the game of football into disrepute;

---
In other words, they can take action even if it is private matter.

 

[Sillygit]

As Filthy says, the charge of threatening to distribute an intimate image was downgraded to a charge of using a carriage service to harass, for which the judge granted TT a diversion, allowing him to escape criminal conviction. Upon payment of the fine, the harassment charge was withdrawn.

and ultimately, my point was that this behaviour, of which he was made to pay a fine, is a form of DV

 

[ferball]

And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you're going to fall
Tell 'em a hookah-smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call

Has TT had the call?

I made a video to that song once with my brother as part of his yr 12 media project.

 

[ferball]

Regardless of Tarryn's outcome, what is the reason Marlion Pickett isn't being stood down pending trial, under AFL investigation or being discussed for deregistration?

Is it as simple as an outright criminal matter is out of AFL (and the suddenly ethical media it seems) hands, but questionable conduct around the edges allows the AFL and media carte Blanche should they choose?

Possibly cos he's not that involved with the case and may have had nothing to do with the robbery. I don't know but the details I heard ages ago were sketchy as in his cousin asked him to borrow his van so he lent it to them and they committed the robbery with it. But there may be more to it than that.

 

[ToxicMegaPunts]

I don't remember reading about the rabbit.

They are very fragile and die easily though, doesn't take much stress.

Not the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog:

 

[ferball]

i mean if you really want to go down that line of thought:

Murder victim Kelly Wilkinson repeatedly visited police in fear. They said she was ‘cop shopping’

Exclusive: Family calls for inquest, saying Wilkinson visited police ‘almost every day’ before she was murdered by her husband in 2021

www.theguardian.com

now, this isn't anywhere near the same level of physical violence, or tragic end, but it absolutely is inidicative of the police response to abuse, domestic abuse. if they aren't even responding to someone WITH a DVO and who ended up murdered, what chance does anyone at any lower level have?

" Official police notes say she was “cop shopping”.

"One day that month, Wilkinson was turned away from the Southport police station on the Gold Coast. Her family says she was told at the station counter there was no one available who could help with a domestic violence matter."

"one officer told her to basically go away and don’t come back and just come into the station once a week because you’re coming in too often to report breaches"

if anyone thinks this is just a one off and not indicative of the standard police response to DV, well i dunno what to tell ya

I know someone who was locked up breaching an AVO and let out as soon as the case was reviewed. One bad family in the street calling the cops on all of their neighbours until one of them actually videoed the family conducting the behaviour they'd accused everyone else of. That ended it.

That was in NSW tho not Queensland, just south of the border. There seems to be a low tolerence for that shit in that part of NSW compared to Queensland tho. Gold Coast coppers are notoriously dodgy and corrupt.

 

[Farthers]

Possibly cos he's not that involved with the case and may have had nothing to do with the robbery. I don't know but the details I heard ages ago were sketchy as in his cousin asked him to borrow his van so he lent it to them and they committed the robbery with it. But there may be more to it than that.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.news.com.au/sport/afl/dual-afl-premiership-player-marlion-pickett-yet-to-enter-pleas-over-alleged-crime-spree/news-story/f02d1e47732218ac836c4c3e5a153b2c%3famp

According to this last update in December he is facing 12 charges, including criminal damage or destruction of property, stealing and receiving. His manager has indicated he would fight the charges.

 

[justroyal]

He might be right.
But I do wonder if he mentioned the same over others who were being indulged by their club.

Both North Melbourne and the game will be better off without Tarryn Thomas

Breaking point is at hand.

www.sen.com.au

 

[ferball]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.news.com.au/sport/afl/dual-afl-premiership-player-marlion-pickett-yet-to-enter-pleas-over-alleged-crime-spree/news-story/f02d1e47732218ac836c4c3e5a153b2c%3famp

According to this last update in December he is facing 12 charges, including criminal damage or destruction of property, stealing and receiving. His manager has indicated he would fight the charges.

Yeah but facing charges doesn't mean shit. Its what happens when the charges are tested that counts.

 

[Passmore]

this saga reminds of good ol General Custer who came a cropper Vs the Indians. Could have been a dodgy wicket for all I know but from it was born the below famous saying

General Custer= the fucl<

Oh well

He underestimated Gary Cowton. Always a big game performer.

 

[justroyal]

I do however enjoy hearing Barrett giving thoughtful opinions about what’s best for the football club and its direction. It’s actually really sweet to hear from him. But also leaving the door ajar for him to play elsewhere…

 

[Farthers]

Yeah but facing charges doesn't mean s**t. Its what happens when the charges are tested that counts.

Yeah, i was more posting for the current details of the case. He was meant to front court in Jan but it got delayed again until March 1st.

 

[The acurate one]

He underestimated Gary Cowton. Always a big game performer.

LOl it took me a minute, yes ol ' crazy horse'.

 

[Merlin007]

Looking very much like the 18 week ban 'leak' was the AFL testing the waters to see how the greater football world reacted, be interesting to see if they dial it back a couple of weeks or not.

Possibly. The alternative - in keeping with good procedural practice - is that Tarryn was presented with a proposed penalty and given the opportunity to respond to it, before a final decision was made. Thus the 18 weeks may well have been put to him, and his manager has seen fit to leak it (for the sympathy vote, duly in achieved in some parts).

 

[Merlin007]

Here's the AFL's Respect and Responsibility Policy: https://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL Tenant/AFL/Files/AFL-Respect-and-Responsibility-Policy.pdf

Under the heading SCOPE, it says:

SCOPE
The AFL’s approach to management of breaches of our Respect and Responsibility Policy contemplates three scenarios:
1. Staff issues: Issues of sexual harassment, sexual or other assault and discrimination on the basis of sex, pregnancy, family responsibility, gender identity and sexual orientation or intersex status which involve AFL staff, officials, players during the course of their work, but not by members of the public.
2. Public issues: Issues of unacceptable behavior which involve AFL personnel and members of the public, or AFL personnel conduct outside AFL work.
3. Recognition issues: A mechanism for the AFL and Clubs to consider how issues of alleged or proven unacceptable conduct in personal life of AFL personnel will impact their ongoing recognition as a leader of the game and in our community.

This protocol will be used to guide the handling of incidents and/or complaints under the second and third scenarios, and has as its sole focus the complaints of incidents by persons (including members of the public, AFL officials or players) against AFL officials or players.

Issues only involving AFL staff are matters for the GM of People and Culture under AFL employment policies, and existing legislation. This is for final decision by the Commission The complaints process for community football is set out in the MPP (details/hyperlink).

---

Further, the AFL Rules (https://resources.afl.com.au/afl/do.../Amended-AFL-Rules-effective-2-March-2022.pdf) say:

A Person must not engage in conduct which is unbecoming or likely to prejudice the interests or reputation of the AFL or to bring the game of football into disrepute.
Without limiting the ordinary and legal meaning of any words in Rule 2.3(a), a Person shall be deemed to have engaged in conduct which is unbecoming or likely to prejudice the reputation or interests of the AFL or to bring the game of football into disrepute if a reasonable person would regard that conduct as unbecoming or likely to prejudice the reputation or interests of the AFL or to bring the game of football into disrepute;

---
In other words, they can take action even if it is private matter.

thank the Lord, somebody has read the actual policy (you know, the one Tarryn signed up for)

 

[My Left Foote]

I’d be interested to see how TT has breached his contract, as you would imagine this behaviour would have been perpetrated in private and not in his position as an AFL footballer.

There'd be a 'Bringing the club / game into disrepute' clause in there for sure.

 

[shinboner magic]

It could be worse - wasn’t the rumour that he went to the club end of last year and asked for an extension.
Small wins

 

[nj23]

Possibly. The alternative - in keeping with good procedural practice - is that Tarryn was presented with a proposed penalty and given the opportunity to respond to it, before a final decision was made. Thus the 18 weeks may well have been put to him, and his manager has seen fit to leak it (for the sympathy vote, duly in achieved in some parts).

That makes more sense than the tinfoil thoughts I had. My thinking was the leaks were a bit of an A/B test to work out where they exist in AFL house.

 

[William Caresser]

Regardless of Tarryn's outcome, what is the reason Marlion Pickett isn't being stood down pending trial, under AFL investigation or being discussed for deregistration?

The AFL exec are all big fans of heist and 70s and 80s neo-noir films. Mostly franchise fodder but also films like Dog Day Afternoon, To Live and Die in LA and Thief. The Hollywood aspects of these allegations appeal more to Dillon and co than any integrity considerations at this point.

 

[Lomas]

The AFL exec are all big fans of heist and 70s and 80s neo-noir films. Mostly franchise fodder but also films like Dog Day Afternoon, To Live and Die in LA and Thief. The Hollywood aspects of these allegations appeal more to Dillon and co than any integrity considerations at this point.

I thought that you had to list The Shawshank Redemption as your favorite film to work at AFL house?

 

[Horizons_00]

Again, without going through the past 10+ pages and listening to pointless SEN, wtf did TT do to get 18 week ban?

We know soooo many players that have done some ****ed up shit and got a slap on the wrist is this to send a message?

It must have been so bad, I am hearing or reading that it wasn’t even with the cops or been reported? Wtf?

He is going to be an absolute star, and unfortunately he will probably go somewhere else and do it there (Degoey etc)