- May 16, 2015
- 8,535
- 19,922
- AFL Club
- North Melbourne
Paywall - got the article text gr?
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Paywall - got the article text gr?
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Essendon moved to further distance itself from Tarryn Thomas in a letter to some of its members after coach Brad Scott described the sacked footballer as a “good person”.
Thomas, 24, was charged on May 21 for allegedly harassing his former partner. He was bailed to appear at the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court on November 21.
Before that, on May 1, Scott said he hoped the football industry could support and help Thomas. The Bombers received strong feedback from a handful of their members regarding Scott’s comments. The club signed off on an email reassuring them that they were not looking to recruit Thomas and clarifying the club’s position.
“Tarryn’s conduct does not represent behaviours acceptable to anyone in our game or our community,” the email said.
“No one at Essendon condones Tarryn’s behaviour and there is no excuse for the behaviour or the hurt he caused.
“The narrative created in recent days linking Tarryn Thomas to Essendon is inaccurate.
“Importantly, you can be assured that when questioned, Brad was not discussing Tarryn from an EFC list management (or) recruiting perspective.
“Whilst in past years, Essendon (like several other AFL clubs) have discussed Tarryn at list management level, this is not something Essendon has or are currently considering.
“Brad (Scott) is a man of great integrity, with a strong moral compass and longstanding admirable values which include respect, particularly towards women.
“However, Brad’s job as a coach, was and is, the support of his players (past and present) wherever possible.
“This does not include accepting intolerable behaviour or defending the indefensible – this was not Brad’s intentions yesterday when discussing Tarryn and rest assured, he does not condone Tarryn’s behaviour in any way.”
The email was only sent to the handful of members who had contacted the club.
Scott has known Thomas since he was 14 and coached him at North Melbourne in 2019.
“People will make mistakes and as a leader, a coach and a parent the responsibility is to have people learn from those mistakes. In Tarryn’s case, my view is one of support,” Scott said on May 1.
“Has he made some terrible mistakes? Yes he has, and he’s the first to admit that.
“I can’t speak to what’s happened in the last couple of years in relation to Tarryn, I haven’t been privy to all the information.
“But I just tend to think that people make mistakes. If you keep making the same mistake, there’s an issue, but as leaders we expect young people to make mistakes.
“So, as an industry, do we just wash our hands and say we’re done with him or do we help him? I prefer to sit in the help camp.”
Thomas cannot train or play at any level without AFL approval even after his 18-match suspension expires.
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“Please note that the AFL will specifically not permit Mr Thomas to join the list of any AFL club pending the hearing and determination of the charges that have now been brought against him and subject to the outcome of those proceedings,” the AFL said after Thomas was charged.
“More broadly, it is the AFL’s intent that Mr Thomas will not be approved to play at any level of Australian football pending the hearing and determination of the charges that have now been brought against him and subject to the outcome of those proceedings.
“The AFL will continue to monitor the police proceedings.”
Tarryn's younger brother in the Tassie U16 squad I believe.
We don't have an academy there anymore, do we?
Young Brewer may be eligible too if we did.
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Club hasn’t put any resources into the Tas academy for about 4 years. We could’ve potentially had access to a few kids last year and at least one this year.
Look at you, Mr Sociable
He actually popped up in our feed as well, cant imagine why, Facebook algorithms are a bit of an enigma.
Looks like he’s turned to religion
literally still had this on the clipboard as i read your reply,Biggest refuge for charlatans, crooks and shysters on the planet.
A lot of **** ups do and in their mind they have been cleansed.Looks like he’s turned to religion
true, but he wasn't posting about it on instagram.Is it really a turn? Pretty sure he was wearing a cross and had religious tattoos for a while before he blew up his career.
Good man, let’s see him follow it now.Looks like he’s turned to religion