The North Melbourne Football Club has officially parted ways with troubled Tasmanian Tarryn Thomas after the former first-round draftee was officially handed an 18-game ban by the AFL on Thursday.
Thomas was handed the ban after being found guilty by the league of inappropriate behaviour towards a woman.
The 23-year-old will be unable to play any form of football anywhere in the country during the suspension timeframe.
Thomas will be required to complete an AFL-approved behavioural change program - at his own cost - before he can play football again at any level.
Speaking in the wake of the league's decision, North Melbourne CEO Jen Watt stated that the club had parted ways with Thomas.
"The club has provided Tarryn with significant time, resources and support but we've now arrived at a point where the individual's needs don't match those of the club," Watt said.
"We know Tarryn needs help – for himself and for the women in his life – but it's clear the path we've taken over the past 12 months hasn't had the desired impact.
"To that end, we have made the decision to end Tarryn's time at North Melbourne.
"This decision doesn't come lightly or easily. We brought Tarryn to the club as a teenager and we acknowledge that he has faced complex and challenging circumstances over his life.
"We hope Tarryn will find the support that is right for him and that he does the work required to be the best version of himself.”
Within the league's own statement, AFL General Counsel Stephen Meade said, "Tarryn's conduct does not represent behaviours acceptable to anyone in our game or our community and his actions were not of a standard that the game or the public expect.
"While we understand and are empathetic to the challenges Tarryn was facing in his personal life, there is no excuse for the behaviour or the hurt he caused a young woman, this is never okay.
"The fact that Tarryn chose to engage in behaviour over direct messages that was, and is, clearly inappropriate, even while he was undertaking education and being counselled for previous breaches contributed to the length of suspension imposed."
While surplus to requirements from a footballing standpoint, Thomas remains contracted to the club until the end of the 2024 season.