Footy star who threatened to leak nude videos of ex-girlfriend offered career lifeline
- Tarryn Thomas has been offered a career lifeline
- Footballer was sacked from his former club this year
- He could be recruited by St Kilda for the 2025 season
St Kilda are set to offer struggling footballer Tarryn Thomas a career lifeline, according to reports.
Thomas was sacked by his former club North Melbourne over his behaviour towards women. The AFL found he had threatened a woman multiple times in direct messages and was given an 18-month ban.
He had previously admitted threatening to distribute intimate videos of his ex-partner, but he escaped a criminal conviction.
He has a court case pending in November over the alleged use of “telecommunications services to intimidate and breach of a court order” in May, but several AFL clubs are reportedly interested in signing the 24-year-old.
According to the Herald Sun, Thomas had a lunch meeting with St Kilda’s head of talent and acquisitions Graeme ‘Gubby’ Allen on Tuesday.
A Saints spokesman told the same source that Allen has a lot of lunches with different people as part of his role at the club.
Thomas is not eligible to play football at any level until the outcome of his ongoing legal case is known.
After the case, the AFL will decide whether Thomas can resume his career. He is currently not allowed to train without permission from the umbrella organization.
Tarryn Thomas could be offered a career lifeline to continue playing in the AFL
The 24-year-old was sacked by North Melbourne for his behaviour towards women
Fans are divided over the midfielder’s possible return.
Essendon coach Brad Scott found himself in hot water earlier this year after describing Thomas as a “good person” having worked with the youngster during his time with the Kangaroos.
The Bombers have since distanced themselves from signing Thomas.
Geelong were also linked with the midfielder but have since backed off.
Last April, North Melbourne general manager Jennifer Watt warned rival clubs about the problems they were experiencing with Thomas’s behaviour during his time at Arden Street.
“(Kangaroos chair) Sonja Hood and I have spoken about this a lot, especially in light of the recent challenges we have faced with Tarryn Thomas,” Watt said in her message.
‘We were surprised at how difficult it was to find programs that support behavior change, and for someone with significant resources and support around them.
‘Eventually we found a combination of programs for Tarryn.
“Although Tarryn ultimately completed four different programs, which included a comprehensive combination of education, therapy and participation programs, we were unable to meaningfully change his behavior.”