North Melbourne part ways with coach Alastair Clarkson as players called in for emergency meeting

Updated September 2, 2026 — 11:38am,first published 11:29amNorth Melbourne have parted ways with coach Alastair Clarkson after four seasons and with a year remaining on his contract.Players and staff were called into the club for an emergency meeting on Wednesday morning, weeks after the end of their men’s season.Two people with knowledge of the meeting, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that it was being held to discuss Clarkson’s future, and members of a coterie group were informed by the club that the 58-year-old would not coach the Roos in 2027.Alastair Clarkson is leaving North Melbourne.Getty ImagesClarkson was told of the club’s decision on Tuesday after leaders consulted the football department and players, two sources confirmed.Clarkson, who coached Hawthorn to four premierships before departing at the end of the 2020 season, has been with the Kangaroos since his appointment in late 2022.The Roos finished 14th this year with nine wins and 14 losses. They had been in the top 10 with eight wins on June 21 but slumped out of finals contention since.It was their highest finish under Clarkson after finishes of 17th in his first two years in charge and 16th in 2025.“We asked Alastair to give our club stability and strength and help return us to the top of the AFL ladder,” club president Sonja Hood said.“Four years later, we have created an environment where our staff and players want to be at our club. This is a testament to the culture Alastair has helped create and the belief that he has built in this group.“Although we have clearly made progress and won more games, we won’t shy away from our desire to want more from this talented group.“We are incredibly grateful to Alastair for the work he’s done over the last four years and we wish him all the very best for his next chapter.”Clarkson and his management have been contacted for comment.North Melbourne players were spotted emerging from the Roos’ facilities at Arden Street after the meeting but would not comment beyond expressing excitement for next season.As previously reported by this masthead, Clarkson signed a five-year deal worth more than $5 million when he agreed to return to his former club and has a contract that essentially guarantees him the full amount of his 2027 contract, according to sources with knowledge of the deal.North Melbourne, who have received the highest amount of variable funding from the AFL of Victorian clubs over the past two years (surpassing St Kilda who had long held that mantle), have been a relatively frugal club since the 2000s. The Roos wiped off their debt and enjoyed repeated financial benefits from their stint of playing home games in Hobart and now Western Australia.External discussion of Clarkson’s position and future has included the fact that Adam Simpson and John Longmire – both Kangaroos playing greats who went on to coach AFL premierships at other clubs – are not presently employed as senior coaches.In March, Clarkson told this masthead he was all for someone else taking the top job at North Melbourne if they were better placed for a quicker return to premiership contention.“I came back here to help the footy club. [It’s] nothing to do with ego, nothing to do with anything else except repay to North what they gave to me as a young fellow,” he said.“And so at the point in time they tap me on the shoulder and think, ‘Listen, we don’t think you’re the guy to take us forward any more. Thanks for your work. We know that ... we’re making some progress and done some really good things.’ If they think someone else can be out there, [and] they’re going to do it quicker – I’m all for it.“That’s why I came back to help. And Todd [Viney, football boss] was a little bit the same. We’ve worked together before, and it’s just like we actually like the idea of the challenge of just taking a bottomed-out club to try to ... can it be done? Especially in the current climate, can it be done?“There can be a lot of people jumping up and down, it’s just like, ‘Oh North aren’t getting there as quick as you like.’ Well, what do you want to do? Are Clarkson and Viney no good?“If Clarkson and Viney are no good, then get them out and get some new ones ... we’re just here for the club. From a personal point of view, trying to see if we can take this side from near the bottom of the ladder to back up to the top and compete again.”From our partners