North Melbourne have parted ways with senior coach Alastair Clarkson, ending his four-season tenure with a year remaining on his contract. The decision was announced on Wednesday morning, when players and staff were called to an emergency meeting at the club's Arden Street headquarters.
The meeting, held weeks after the end of the men's season, was convened to inform players of Clarkson's departure. According to reports, some players who were already overseas on holiday were also called into the meeting. Two people with knowledge of the meeting, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed it was held to discuss Clarkson's future, and members of a coterie group were informed that the 58-year-old would not coach the club in 2027.
Clarkson was reportedly told of the club's decision on Tuesday after leaders consulted the football department and players. The club later released a statement from president Sonja Hood, who said the decision had been made "following a consultation period with football department staff and players at the conclusion of the AFL premiership season."
"We asked Alastair to give our club stability and strength and help return us to the top of the AFL ladder," Hood said in the statement. "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.
A challenging four seasons
Clarkson, who coached Hawthorn to four premierships, was appointed to lead the Kangaroos in late 2022, signing a five-year deal. He had previously played 93 games for North Melbourne. His tenure began ahead of the 2023 season, after he had spent 17 years at Hawthorn, where he guided the club to a 58.8 per cent winning record.
Under Clarkson, North Melbourne's results improved gradually but remained modest. The club won just three games in each of his first two seasons and five in 2025. In 2026, the team showed more promise, sitting at 8-7 at the end of June and remaining in contention for a place in the wildcard round. However, they won only one of their final eight games, finishing 14th on the ladder with nine wins and 14 losses.
That 14th-placed finish was the club's highest under Clarkson, following finishes of 17th, 17th and 16th in his first three years. It also marked the first time in his tenure that North Melbourne finished outside the bottom four.
Overall, Clarkson guided the Roos to 20 wins from 82 games across his four seasons in charge.
Contract and future
Clarkson's contract, which was due to run until the end of the 2027 season, was a subject of speculation throughout the year. Fox Sports reported that North Melbourne's hierarchy throughout the season refused to guarantee Clarkson's future beyond his current deal. PerthNow noted persistent reports that Clarkson was seeking a contract extension to avoid entering next season with only a year remaining on his deal. Those discussions were deferred by Hood, who told 3AW in July that any talks over the coach's future would not take place until at least the end of the season.
With Clarkson's departure, North Melbourne will be looking for their fourth full-time senior coach in eight seasons.
Potential successors
PerthNow reported that West Coast premiership-winning coach Adam Simpson may be among the contenders for the coaching job. Simpson, who played 306 games for North Melbourne over a 15-year career, has been working in media since departing West Coast in 2024 and served as a consultant at Carlton, including being part of the selection panel that appointed caretaker coach Josh Fraser last month.
Simpson's former teammate, John Longmire, who coached Sydney into five grand finals before moving into an executive role two years ago, was also named as a possible strong candidate, according to PerthNow.