Essendon has sought to clarify remarks made by senior coach Brad Scott regarding disgraced former North Melbourne player Tarryn Thomas. The Bombers issued a letter to concerned members to reiterate that Thomas would not be welcome at their club.
Ahead of the 2024 season, North Melbourne terminated Thomas, who had initially been suspended by the league for 18 matches due to alleged inappropriate behavior. Thomas spent much of the 2023 season mired in various controversies.
In May, Scott, who previously coached Thomas at North Melbourne, praised the troubled midfielder despite his past issues. Scott remarked, “I’ve known Tarryn since he was 14. My view is, he’s a good person. He’s made some terrible mistakes, yes, and he’s the first to admit that. So, as an industry, do we just wash our hands and say ‘we’re done with him,’ or do we help him?”
Following Scott’s comments, the club emailed members to clarify their stance. “Tarryn’s conduct does not represent behaviors acceptable to anyone in our game or our community,” the email stated. “No one at Essendon condones Tarryn’s behavior, and there is no excuse for the behavior or the hurt he caused. The narrative linking Tarryn Thomas to Essendon is inaccurate.”
The email emphasized that neither Scott nor the club’s list management team considered recruiting Thomas. “When questioned, Brad was not discussing Tarryn from an EFC list management or recruiting perspective. While Essendon, like several other AFL clubs, has discussed Tarryn at list management level in past years, this is not something Essendon has or is currently considering.”
The email defended Scott while condemning his comments about Thomas. “Brad 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 is to support his players (past and present) wherever possible. This does not include accepting intolerable behavior or defending the indefensible – this was not Brad’s intention when discussing Tarryn.”
Scott’s comments coincided with the league’s confirmation that all 18 sides would observe a moment’s silence in round eight to highlight gender-based violence. Thomas is also barred from training or playing at any level of Australian football without AFL approval, even after his 18-match suspension ends.
