AFL Now: Thursday’s big footy talking points, Alastair Clarkson in for long haul at North Melbourne

Alastair Clarkson has maintained he’s in for the long haul amid North Melbourne’s stuttering form, revealing he could have taken easier jobs if he wasn’t interested in a lengthy rebuild.

Alastair Clarkson has quashed suggestions he’s lost his passion for coaching and pledged “in for the long haul” as pressure builds on the North Melbourne coach to turn around five horror years.

Clarkson’s declaration followed the backing from Kangaroos football boss Todd Viney on Wednesday, who claimed the criticism of the four-time premiership coach “unwarranted”.

Despite a promising Round 2 victory over Melbourne, pressure quickly mounted on the Roos after they went down to Carlton to the tune of 82 points on Good Friday.

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The side which lost to the Blues was largely made up by the club’s sweep of first-round draftees.

Clarkson was asked on Thursday whether he still had the appetite to steer the Roos through further adversity and he was strong in his response.

“I wouldn’t have come back into the job if I didn’t want to take on the challenge, there were other opportunities to take on, easier challenges,” Clarkson said.

North Melbourne coach has reaffirmed his passion for steering the Roos back up the ladder. Picture: Michael Klein

“In terms of taking a team into the eight a little bit quicker or some teams who were already in there, ‘oh well, that’ll be an easier job’.

“Part of the challenge as to why I took the job and others wanted to jump on board too was where the club was positioned at the time.

“As I said before, how exciting is it to actually take a club that is in significant adversity and try and bring them back up to the top of the ladder.

“At the minute it looks like we’re not making a hell of a lot of progress but as long as the club stays together and stays stable, it’s going to turn.”

The Kangaroos have not finished above 17th in their past five seasons and have netted just 15 wins from 107 starts, and only seven since Clarkson took over in 2023.

But the four-time premiership coach reinforced his belief that the results were bound to turn and vowed his commitment to the job.

“I know the wider football media are sick of hearing of it but it’ll come,” he said.

“The Melbourne footy club, where Todd (Viney) spent a lot of his time, there was a five or six year period where they were having early draft picks every year.

Alastair Clarkson is adamant he has the passion to coach the Kangaroos out of trouble (Photo by Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

“It was like ‘when is this going to happen? You’re getting all these picks, the talent is there’ and then all of a sudden, bang, it just happened.

“I wish I had the crystal ball to be able to look into and say this is the day this is going to happen for this footy club but all I can tell you is that day is getting closer, it is not getting further away.

“We will continue to back ourselves in until such time where the evaporation of time is too great and they say ‘well Clarko, I don’t think you’re the bloke anymore’.

“But as long as I have got the passion inside me to drive this club back to where I think it can get to, I am in for the long haul.”

North Melbourne plays Port Adelaide, Essendon and Brisbane in its next three fixtures.

Originally published as AFL Now: Thursday’s big footy talking points, Alastair Clarkson in for long haul at North Melbourne