In an AFL world of corporate-style spin, we shouldn’t slam North’s leaders for speaking their ‘Clarko’ truth

September 3, 2026 — 6:46pm

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In the annals of coach sackings, North Melbourne’s public evisceration of Alastair Clarkson might rank as the least-merciful we have seen this century.

North president Sonja Hood and Clarkson’s lieutenant and long-time friend Todd Viney did not spare Clarkson’s feelings, nor his reputation.

Clarkson had not implemented an effective game plan, they said. Communication had confused the players. He had not delegated properly. “The message became muddier, and the players felt like it hasn’t been clear,” Viney said.

It was like the livestreaming of an unflattering performance review, except that the subject wasn’t present.

Unsparing and harsh as it sounded, though, it would be perverse to criticise the Kangaroo leaders for offering their blunt version of the truth, and eschewing the easy platitudes when clubs and the AFL so often........

© Brisbane Times