Clarkson begins Roos coaching cull as club legend forced out of football department

Alastair Clarkson has begun making changes to his coaching staff at North Melbourne a disrupted first season at Arden St.

A week after it was announced that Brett Ratten would depart the club, after stepping in as interim coach this season, The Roos confirmed that experienced assistants John Blakey and Gavin Brown would depart the club for new opportunities.

It comes as Damien Hardwick made his first poaching move official, while the Dogs have parted ways with another staffer in the AFL’s assistant coach merry-go-round for next season.

Blakey returned to Arden St in 2021 in the role of senior assistant coach after previously playing 224 games for the club, including the 1996 and 1999 premierships.

Brown, who had been at the club since 2013 as a senior development coach and recently, in the role of Head of development since 2019- will also depart the club as Clarkson looks to re-shape his football department for the rebuilding Roos.

“After conversations with ‘Blakes’ and ’Browny’, we have agreed to mutually part ways,” North Melbourne’s general manager of football Todd Viney said.

“These decisions are never taken lightly, but the time is right for all parties to move forward in new directions.

“Blakes and Browny have been outstanding contributors to our club and they leave as highly respected individuals. We wish them well as they look to take on new opportunities within the industry.”

Veteran journalist Caroline Wilson believes that Clarkson and North Melbourne have “gone off the part timers” and will look to bring in some “youth” and younger coaches, With AFL games record holder and club legend Brent Harvey likely to be moved on from the football department as part of the shake up.

“I don’t think we’ll be seeing Josh Gibson who was doing some part time defence work, Jonathan Brown who was doing some part-time forward work, Boomer Harvey will be moving out of the football department as well,” Wilson said on Footy Classified.

“Alastair Clarkson’s just gone enough of the part timers….. it will be interesting to see who he brings in.”

Meanwhile, The Suns confirmed the massive coup of premiership Tiger Shaun Grigg, who will reunite with Hardwick after spending four years at Geelong – where he was assistant for the club’s premiership win last year.

While former Cat Travis Varcoe has confirmed his exit from the Western Bulldogs – the third assistant to depart the club this off-season after its underwhelming finals miss in 2023.

Grigg will head to the Gold Coast as a highly-regarded assistant coach, following his retirement from the game in 2019.

“We’re thrilled Shaun has chosen to continue his coaching journey at the Suns and we look forward to him working with our current group of coaches and Damien, to continue to drive our playing group forward,” Suns footy boss Wayne Campbell said.

“Shaun has put together an impressive CV as both a player and coach, including overseeing Geelong’s midfield group as the Cats went on to win the 2022 premiership.

“We look forward to welcoming Shaun, his wife Sarah and two young boys to the Gold Coast.”

The move reunites Grigg with Hardwick, after the duo spent nine years in a player-coach partnership at the Tigers.

The Cats confirmed the club “agreed to release” Grigg from his 2024 contract to “pursue another opportunity”, in a statement issued on Monday.

Varcoe, meantime is yet to announce his next move as he joins assistants Marc Webb and Rohan Smith in exiting the Bulldogs.

Varcoe has spent the last three years at Whitten Oval, predominantly working in the Dogs’ VFL program, while he also had a mentoring role with Indigenous players Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Arthur Jones and has been involved in the club’s Reconciliation Action Plan.