Disgraced former AFL player Tarryn Thomas has faced another setback in his attempts to revive his football career, having been rejected by Swan Districts, a club based in Western Australia. Just two days after arriving in Perth for a two-week trial, the club emailed its members to inform them of their decision not to recruit Thomas, stating: “We will not recruit Thomas and wish him every success in the future.”
The club’s decision was based on their need to ensure that Thomas was ready to embrace change and that Swan Districts had the necessary resources to support him. It appears the 24-year-old failed to meet one or both of these critical criteria during his brief time with the club.
This rejection comes shortly after Thomas faced a similar outcome with the Northern Bullants in the VFL, who also decided against signing him. The implications of Thomas’s conduct continue to resonate within the sporting community. He received a ban from all levels of football back in February after the AFL’s integrity unit found him guilty of serious misconduct, which included threats made to a woman via direct messages. Following this incident, he was sacked by North Melbourne.
Despite recently being cleared by the AFL to join a VFL club not affiliated with the league, no additional potential teams have emerged willing to offer him a contract. As his chances of returning to professional football continue to dwindle, Thomas must now confront the consequences of his past actions and seek paths toward rehabilitation and acceptance.