The Clarko experiment has failed. Here are the assistant coaches North should turn to instead


For a while, North Melbourne fans dared to believe the pain was nearly over.

When Alastair Clarkson was unveiled as the club’s senior coach in 2022, it felt like a turning point. A club drowning in wooden spoons and false starts had pulled off the impossible: securing one of the most decorated coaches in AFL history.

Four flags. Tactical genius. Premiership pedigree. It looked, on paper, like a masterstroke. This was the kind of appointment that was supposed to snap North out of the cellar and set the club on a genuine path to relevance.

But here we are, in 2025, and not much has changed except the level of frustration.

The Clarkson era, now deep into its third season, has not delivered on its promise. North Melbourne remains stranded at the foot of the ladder. The supposed rebuild feels stalled. The growth of young players is patchy at best. The game style lacks identity. And the optimism that greeted Clarkson’s arrival has well and truly evaporated.

Let’s stop pretending this is trending in the right direction. It’s not.

This isn’t about disrespecting Clarkson’s legacy. His time at Hawthorn is immortal. But football is a brutal, present-tense game. What you did in 2013 doesn’t mean a whole lot when your team can’t crack five wins a season in 2025.

Rebuilds don’t just need a famous figurehead; they need total commitment, fresh energy, and someone who is fully invested in the long, gritty process of building a club from the ground up.

At times, Clarkson has looked out of sync with the modern game and the club’s identity. His tactical nous is undeniable, but his approach doesn’t seem to be clicking with this list.

There’s a real sense that the players are either confused by the system or not buying in entirely. Communication, connection, and clarity those things are vital in a rebuild. And right now, they’re missing.

North Melbourne has one of the youngest lists in the AFL. That demands a coach who lives and breathes development. Someone who thrives on teaching, mentoring, and growing young men into consistent AFL footballers. The top-line numbers – poor percentages, high turnover, low scoring, and blowout losses – show that North’s progress has not just stalled: it may have gone backwards.

So where to now?

It’s time for the club to consider a change in leadership. And that doesn’t mean throwing another big-name lifeline. It means identifying the right person: someone hungry, patient, and ready to build something special.

There are several assistant coaches across the AFL landscape who have been putting in the hard yards and are overdue for their shot.

Alastair Clarkson.

Alastair Clarkson. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Scott Burns is one of those names. He’s spent the better part of two decades working under senior coaches like Mick Malthouse, Nathan Buckley, Don Pyke, and Matthew Nicks.

Burns has seen successful systems up close. He understands how to shape culture. He’s highly regarded by players and fellow coaches alike as a strong communicator and a steady hand. Most importantly, he’s not chasing headlines or legacy points. He’s the kind of coach who wants to do the work.

Jaymie Graham is another standout. A respected figure across multiple clubs including West Coast, Fremantle, and the Western Bulldogs, Graham has built a reputation as a detail-driven assistant with a calm presence and tactical sharpness. He has coached his own teams at lower levels and has earned praise for his ability to connect with young players and get the best out of them.

His time is coming. Maybe North should be the ones to give it to him.

Then you’ve got Blake Caracella. A multiple premiership player turned assistant coach, Caracella has spent years immersed in successful football environments at Geelong, Richmond, and Essendon. He has been a sponge for systems that work, and has helped implement attacking and defensive set-ups that win games.

For a club like North, desperate to establish a consistent brand of football, Caracella could be a smart choice.

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Daniel Giansiracusa also deserves a mention. His time as an assistant at the Bulldogs and Essendon has been marked by a focus on skill development and midfield structure. He’s a coach who sees the game clearly and is often credited for his ability to simplify roles and improve player confidence.

Then there’s the wildcard: someone like Jordan Lewis. A four-time premiership player, footy analyst, and modern thinker, Lewis represents a bold but intriguing option. Young, sharp, and with lived premiership experience, he’s got the credibility and personality to command respect.

It would be a gamble, sure, but one with a potentially high upside if North want to go with a fresh voice and an eye on long-term growth.

What North Melbourne needs now is not nostalgia. Not reputation. Not another coaching headline. What they need is substance. A developer. A mentor. A builder.

The Clarkson experiment hasn’t worked, and that’s okay. Sometimes the biggest names aren’t the right fit.

But it’s no longer a matter of patience. It’s a matter of action.

Clarkson has had time. He’s had support. And the results just aren’t there. The rebuild has hit a dead end, and the longer North wait, the more they risk wasting yet another generation of talent.

It’s time to start again. Not from scratch, from clarity. From a coach who wants to make their name, not rest on one.

Clarkson’s legacy is secure, but his time at Arden Street should be up.



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