Pressure Mounts on Clarkson as Roos Struggle for Identity
Right now, there’s a growing storm around Alastair Clarkson and his impact at North Melbourne—and it’s becoming harder to ignore. After an 85-point demolition at the hands of Hawthorn, serious questions are being asked about whether Clarkson, a four-time premiership coach, is truly the right man to lead the Roos out of the rebuild wilderness.
Let’s be honest—this isn’t just another bad loss. This was supposed to be a momentum-building period after a surprise win over Carlton in Round 15. Spirits were high. Fans dared to hope. And then, boom—complete collapse. Thirteen goals conceded in the first half alone. Where was the pressure? Where was the defensive grit? Where was the fight? The answer, unfortunately, is nowhere in sight.
Clarkson fronted the media post-game and pointed to travel fatigue and how the Hawks “covered the ground better.” But if you're a North supporter, that kind of explanation stings. It’s not what you want—or need—to hear. You want honesty. You want accountability. And above all, you want hope that someone is genuinely getting to the bottom of what's going wrong.
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Pundits like Kane Cornes and David King haven’t held back. Cornes was particularly scathing, saying if he were a North fan, he’d be “filthy” at Clarkson’s lack of deeper analysis. He called the coach’s remarks “not acceptable,” especially from someone with Clarko’s reputation and experience. And he’s got a point—because the Roos aren’t just losing games. They’re getting blown away.
To make matters worse, young gun George Wardlaw is now sidelined again with another concussion—his third in 12 months. The club will rightly take a cautious approach, possibly keeping him out beyond the minimum 12-day protocol. It’s the same path they took with Jy Simpkin last year, and for a club that’s struggling to find stability, losing one of their brightest midfield stars just adds more weight to already heavy shoulders.
And all this is happening just days before a huge milestone—the club’s 100th-year game against the Western Bulldogs. This is a marquee moment. A Thursday night spotlight that North fought hard to get. But now? It’s starting to feel less like a celebration and more like a pressure cooker.
The reality is, the Roos need to show something this week. Anything. If not for the scoreboard, then for pride. For the fans. For themselves. Clarkson may say it’s not up to him to decide how long Wardlaw is out, but the bigger decision looming is what kind of message he wants to send. Because if he can’t light a fire under this group now—on their centenary night—then when?
It’s not about writing Clarkson off. But time is ticking. The rebuild window won’t stay open forever. And the next step has to come soon—or risk the entire project falling apart.
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