Troubled former North Melbourne player Tarryn Thomas has re-emerged publicly, posting a promotional video and suggesting he is eyeing a return to football.
In the video, Thomas is seen posing with a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon while speaking about his future.
The clip was produced as part of a promotion for luxury hire business Ten Stars Cars.
In the footage, Thomas is asked directly about his sporting career.
‘So you’re out of retirement straight to a G Wagon, what are your plans for next year?’ the interviewer says.
Thomas responds: ‘Yeah hopefully I need to get a few things sorted first and then get back into it’.
Tarryn Thomas poses with a luxury G-Wagon in a promotional video, sparking speculation about a football return
The former North Melbourne player tells viewers he hopes to “get back into it” after sorting personal issues
The 25-year-old then climbs into the high-end vehicle and is filmed driving it on Melbourne streets.
Ten Stars Cars confirmed he had been given the vehicle for the weekend as part of their brand promotion.
The company describes itself as ‘Melbourne’s Premier Luxury Car Hire & Chauffeur Brand’.
The choice of car was a talking point in itself.
The Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon, short for Geländewagen, is a luxury 4×4 originally designed as a rugged military vehicle in the late 1970s.
Today it is known for blending off-road toughness with premium features and has become a global status symbol.
For Thomas, the luxury vehicle became a stage to make his first public statement about football in months.
His comments come despite a long list of controversies that derailed his AFL career.
Despite being banned, sacked and facing fresh charges, Thomas continues hinting at a possible football comeback in 2026
Thomas was banned by the AFL in February 2024 after being found guilty of multiple acts of misconduct, including sending threatening messages to a woman.
He was hit with an 18-match suspension and ordered into a behavioural change program.
North Melbourne immediately sacked him, ending his time at Arden Street after 69 games.
The AFL suspension applied at all levels of football until late July 2024.
In April 2024, Geelong coach Chris Scott said the club was ‘open-minded’ about Thomas, but no deal eventuated.
On 21 May 2024, police laid fresh charges over alleged harassing phone calls.
The AFL extended his ban, saying he could not play at any level until his case was resolved.
In August 2024, St Kilda confirmed it had no interest in signing him despite media speculation.
Thomas leaves the Melbourne Magistrates Court in Melbourne in 2023 before his AFL ban
Any comeback would need to be signed off by the AFL, including at reserve grade level
The following November, Thomas fronted Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court.
He pleaded guilty to breaching a court order after repeated phone calls. A harassment charge was withdrawn at the same hearing.
Thomas received a 12-month good behaviour bond with therapy conditions, and no conviction was recorded.
The AFL announced in February 2025 that he had completed education programs and shown change.
He was cleared to play at stand-alone state league clubs but remained ineligible for the AFL.
His 2026 eligibility was left undecided, leaving his long-term prospects unclear.
Several VFL clubs quickly distanced themselves from him. The Northern Bullants formally declined to sign him in February 2025.
That same month, Thomas trialled with Swan Districts in the WAFL Within days, the WAFL club announced it would not be offering him a contract.
Thomas claimed he was held at gunpoint during a botched car deal in Ballarat in April this year.
He reported the incident to police but later withdrew the complaint and deleted his social media accounts.
North Melbourne figures confirmed they had contacted him in May to check on his welfare.
By mid-year, every stand-alone VFL club and Swan Districts had rejected the prospect of signing him.
Thomas remains without a club at AFL or state-league level in August 2025.
His comeback hopes now rest on whether the AFL clears him to play in 2026.
