Clarkson’s clause: Frugal Roos would face huge payout if they axed coach early

North Melbourne would face a massive payout of close to $1 million if they sacked senior coach Alastair Clarkson at the end of this season.

Clarkson, who signed a five-year deal worth more than $5 million when he agreed to return to his former club after the 2022 season, has a contract that essentially guarantees him the full amount of his 2027 contract, according to sources with knowledge of the contract.

Whereas some senior coaches have clauses in their contracts that protect their clubs from a full payout for the upcoming season, Clarkson’s contract for 2027 is not one that would help North Melbourne avoid the year’s payout if they moved him on 12 months before it expires.

North Melbourne’s leadership, headed by president Sonja Hood, have repeatedly said the four-time premiership coach is contracted for next year in response to speculation about Clarkson’s future, and the club declined to comment further on the contract when contacted.

But while North have not signalled a wish to review Clarkson’s position at season’s end, the club leadership have not been unequivocal in saying that Clarkson will coach the Kangaroos next year, and have left any discussions – including about an extension – until the end of the season.

External discussion of Clarkson’s position and future has included the fact that Adam Simpson and John Longmire – both Kangaroos playing greats who went on to coach AFL premierships at other clubs – are not presently employed as senior coaches.

Clarkson’s contractual terms, however, were negotiated in his favour back in 2022, when Essendon were interested in appointing him to replace Ben Rutten. He had just had a season’s sabbatical after Hawthorn paid him out $900,000, the final year of his deal with the Hawks, to expedite the handover to Sam Mitchell.

North Melbourne, which has received the highest amount of variable funding from the AFL of Victorian clubs over the past two years (surpassing St Kilda which had long held that mantle), has been a relatively frugal club since the 2000s, having wiped off its debt and repeated financial benefits from their stint of playing home games in Hobart and now Western Australia.

Hood recently told 3AW that Clarkson had performance metrics in his deal.

“He has KPIs to make footy better,” she said.

Those performance indicators, however, would not protect the club from a full payout, according to sources with knowledge of Clarkson’s deal.

Speculation about Clarkson’s position has intensified since the Roos slumped later this season, having fallen from inside the top 10 with eight wins on June 21 to 13th and out of finals contention.

The Roos had a generous fixture this season as a bottom-six side, playing Essendon, West Coast and Richmond each twice. But they have a hard run home, facing the Bulldogs, Geelong and Sydney in the last three games – all teams they have not beaten for several years.

The aspirations of the club’s board leading into the season were higher than expectations outside the club.

Clarkson suggested this week that he did not need to push for a contract extension. “All I require is a handshake and a wink and a nod, and that’ll do me,” he said at Tuesday’s media conference.

“We’ll work our way through whatever we need to do,” he said, adding that the club’s leadership had stabilised the club.

“We’re really keen to progress and get ourselves up the ladder, but all we do know is that that’s done best when you’ve got stability.”

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