North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson is hopeful Tarryn Thomas will make an AFL comeback “pretty soon” following the utility’s return to motion at state-league stage.
Thomas was despatched to the Kangaroos’ VFL program final month whereas working part-time for a cleansing business and participating in a respectful behaviour program.
The 23-year-old’s profession has been hanging within the stability since he was stood down by the membership for a second time in March amid issues over his behaviour in the direction of girls.
Thomas took a step in the direction of an AFL return on Sunday, gathering 18 disposals within the Kangaroos’ VFL win over Sandringham.
“He performed well in his first game back … so he’s just building his match fitness,” Clarkson stated.
“He’s got another week in the VFL program, I’m led to believe, and then he’ll be back in the AFL program.
“Once he is again within the AFL program we’ll simply see what his health stage and match conditioning is like.
“If he continues to do what we require him to do then hopefully he’ll be available for selection pretty soon.”
North Melbourne chief govt Jennifer Watt and soccer boss Todd Viney have been monitoring Thomas’ progress away from soccer and can make the decision on when the participant is allowed to return to the Kangaroos’ AFL group.
“I’ve seen very little of Tarryn since he’s been out of the AFL program and that will hopefully ramp up a little bit next week,” Clarkson stated.
“Once he gets back into it, I’ll just more or less focus on his footy and what he needs to do there.
“The footy aspect of it, for mine, is what his health base is like and what number of video games does he must play to get cherry ripe to have the ability to play senior AFL footy.
“We’ll make that determination and the rest of the stuff Jen and Todd will look after off to the side.”
Thomas was charged in January with threatening to distribute an intimate picture and confronted courtroom in March. The case will return to the Broadmeadows Magistrates Court on July 18.
In February, Thomas confronted two counts of violating a courtroom order however these expenses have been subsequently dropped.
In March, North have been made conscious of additional allegations of inappropriate behaviour, which they reported to the AFL’s integrity unit.
Last month, North fined Thomas $5000 and made him donate an extra $5000 to a street security charity for a video he posted to social media that confirmed him behind the wheel of his drifting Mercedes along with his ft on the dashboard.
He can be attributable to face courtroom later this 12 months on an unrelated cost of driving with a suspended licence.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
