Breaking: Jaymie Graham named new North Melbourne AFL coach

North Melbourne confirms Jaymie Graham as new coach, succeeding Alastair ClarksonTopic:AFLPosted Tue 6 Oct 2026 at 10:41amTue 6 Oct 2026 at 10:41am, updated Tue 6 Oct 2026 at 10:59amTue 6 Oct 2026 at 10:59amFremantle Dockers assistant coach Jaymie Graham has been confirmed as the new coach of North Melbourne. (Getty Images: AFL Photos/Michael Willson)North Melbourne has named Fremantle assistant coach Jaymie Graham as the new coach for the AFL side.A statement from club president Sonja Hood on Tuesday said Graham was the new senior coach, succeeding four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson, who was sacked by the Kangaroos earlier this year.Graham spent five seasons at the Dockers as an assistant to Justin Longmuir.The Kangaroos finished the 2026 season — Clarkson's fourth season in charge — in 14th spot with nine wins."You'll learn more about Jaymie's personal and football journey in the coming days and weeks, but let me say he has the resilience to handle the relentless toils of the football environment, carrying the exact kind of grit we value at North Melbourne," Hood told members."As a coach, Jaymie is a process-driven leader with a quiet, grounded presence, sharp attention to detail, and a clear football vision."Outside of his exceptional character, he joins us with a proven skill set. He played a key role in West Coast's 2018 premiership success, and more recently he was the line coach for one of the competition's best forward lines at Fremantle as part of a high-performing program."He is widely respected across the industry as a developer of talent and a connector of people — someone who builds strong player relationships instantly and earns respect through his actions."Graham will face the media along with Kangaroos CEO Jen Watt at midday AEDT.Fremantle paid tribute to Graham in a statement, wishing him well for his new role and thanking him for his "five outstanding seasons" at the club."Jaymie has had a significant impact not only on our player group — but the entire football department and broader club," Fremantle executive general manager of football Joe Brierty said."It is well documented that Jaymie has had ambitions of becoming a senior coach in his own right one day, and we couldn't be prouder or happier for him to take an opportunity he's worked so hard for."