NORTH Melbourne has sacked senior coach Alastair Clarkson with a year remaining on his contract. 

In a stunning development, North players were called to an emergency meeting at Arden Street on Wednesday morning, where they were told that Clarkson would no longer coach the club. 

North Melbourne president Sonja Hood and general manager of football Todd Viney will address the media at 2pm AEST. Viney is expected to stay in his role despite his long-time colleague Clarkson's departure. 

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Clarkson has been in charge of the Roos since 2023, winning just 20 of his 82 games in charge, including nine this season. 

The former North Melbourne player came to Arden Street after 17 years coaching at Hawthorn, where he guided the club to four premierships and a 58.8 per cent winning record. 

The club said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon that Clarkson was told of the club's decision  after a period of consultation with football department staff after the end of the season.

"We asked Alastair to give our club stability and strength and help return us to the top of the AFL ladder," 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 said in a statement released by his manager, James Henderson, that reviving North's fortunes had been "difficult".

"My time as coach of the North Melbourne Football Club has come to an end," Clarkson said. 

"We set out to stabilise the club and lay the foundations for a return to playing deep in September.

"The challenge was a difficult one that I embraced with my whole being.

"My family and I have been privileged to be involved in AFL football for over 40 years, but it now time for a new chapter."

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Clarkson said in early August that he wasn't in a hurry to push for an extension of his current five-year contract at North, saying "all I require is a handshake and a wink and a nod, and that'll do me". 

"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," Clarkson said ahead of North Melbourne's eventual win over the Western Bulldogs in round 22. 

"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."

North will become the third club with a new senior coach in 2027 after Essendon appointed Mark McVeigh to replace Brad Scott, and Carlton signed interim coach Josh Fraser on a permanent basis after parting ways with Michael Voss.

Clarkson was appointed in August 2022, coming in after previous coach David Noble had won just five of his 38 games at the helm.

But early success proved elusive for the master coach. North won three games in each of his first two seasons, although Clarkson took leave for several weeks in 2023 as he dealt with the Hawthorn racism investigation. 

Five wins and a draw came in 2025, while this season brought nine wins - but only one over a finals contender (against the Bulldogs). 

More to come