Alastair Clarkson leaves North Melbourne with one year left on AFL coaching contract

Alastair Clarkson has stepped down as North Melbourne coach with one year left on his contract.

The four-time Hawthorn premiership coach made a stunning return to the Kangaroos, where he began his career as a player, ahead of the 2023 season in what was seen as a coup for the struggling club and president Sonja Hood.

North won just three games in each of his first two seasons and still only managed five last year, before finally showing more promise this season to sit 8-7 at the end of June.

But the Roos won just once in their last eight games to crash out of finals contention as Clarkson began openly pondering his future heading into the final year of his five-year contract.

Players — including those already overseas on holiday — were called into a meeting on Wednesday to learn of Clarkson’s departure.

North last played finals footy in 2016 but were in the mix for much of this year despite failing to beat a fellow contender.

“Old school” Clarkson, branding himself ‘old school’, said he would not push for an early extension and was prepared to go on with “a handshake and a wink and a nod”.

“We’ll work our way through whatever we need to do,” the 58-year-old said in early August.

“I’m really here to serve the footy club ... it’s not just me, but those that are in leadership positions at the club have done a really good job stabilising the footy club.

“We’re really keen to progress and get ourselves up the ladder, but all we do know is that that’s done best when you’ve got stability.”