Alastair Clarkson has just given this kind of presentation to the Tasmania Football Club. This has ignited controversy in Australian football circles and prompted questions about his dual commitments. Clarkson, who signed a six-month consultancy deal with the Tasmanian government in 2022 worth over $100,000, spent the last day and a half providing insights to the club. His appointment comes at a particularly challenging juncture for the North Melbourne Football Club. His leadership and football knowledge led him to spend the past three years as their head coach.
Clarkson’s contract with Tasmania was a new wrinkle in AFL’s long-existing effort to land the eighth team. He passed through the United States, including a special visit to the NFL franchise Green Bay Packers. There, he learned incredible perspective and tactics that he brought to the Tasmanian club. North Melbourne officials were aware of Clarkson’s trip and endorsed it. Yet, scorn persists to pour from all sides over his apparent obsession with Tasmania at the expense of dealing with his duties at North Melbourne.
On the field, North Melbourne has been terrible under Clarkson’s coaching, winning just 11 games across three seasons. Incredible critics were right to raise doubts about his stint with Tasmania. This has former players and commentators clamoring who care deeply about the existential crises corroding his current school. Retired AFL player and North Melbourne member Luke Hodge helped to remind people that there are bigger problems at stake for North Melbourne. He thinks their attention needs to be on developing a better squad and how they want to play, and who they want in charge of that, rather than holed up in Tasmania. This is a shocking look.
Hodge pointed out what it could mean for North Melbourne. We’re sitting in Enright’s shoes and imagine what Geelong are thinking at this point. Chris Scott got absolutely roasted. As a result, fans and analysts have been particularly attuned to Clarkson’s role. They’re asking what his extensive consultancy work is doing to his coaching duties.
Even in light of this controversy, Hodge admitted that the Tasmania Football Club could stand to gain from Clarkson’s experience. For me, it seemed like the footy club and the board made a decision that this was closing a bunch of loose ends. Hodge said, given the club’s newfound strength, it was time to make the most of Alastair Clarkson’s experience. They’ve since hired employees in all the right spots, such as a list manager, head recruiter, their commercial boss and media boss. He continued to expand on some of the major themes that were presented, including the desire to be more ambitious in bettering Tasmania’s school curriculum.
When Kane Cornes tweeted that North Melbourne supporters should be angry, he kicked off a conversation. In particular, he noted their criticisms of Clarkson’s role in Tasmania. You’d be pissed off if you were a supporter of North, right? he asked.
