North Melbourne are reportedly set to land the man they covet with the news to be announced next week.
The bottom of the ladder club have offered master coach Alastair Clarkson a monster five-year contract, according to The Age’s Jake Niall.
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Clarkson’s signature has been the hottest commodity around the league with multiple clubs said to be chasing his services.
Along with North Melbourne, the GWS Giants were in hot pursuit of the mastermind who led Hawthorn to four premiership victories.
The Giants have not yet offered Clarkson a contract and while Niall reports Clarkson has not yet responded to North’s offer – Triple M’s Tom Browne says otherwise.
“Coaching update, this is just dot joining according to sources you speak to. There’s not a lot of leaks coming from North Melbourne or the Giants coaching process,” Browne said on Triple M.
“It’s certainly the strong view of sources that I speak to that Alastair Clarkson will end up as soon as next Friday at North Melbourne.
“That remains to be seen but that’s the consistent view that I’m getting is that North Melbourne is very much in the box seat to land Alastair Clarkson for a whole host of reasons.
“The Giants are now looking closely, very closely, at Adem Yze and I think they will also sound out Ross Lyon at some point in their process as well.
“Yze Giants, Clarkson North is the jungle drums in terms of the sources that I speak to at the moment.”
Journalist Mark Robinson believes a Clarkson-North Melbourne deal is “past the post”.
“Everyone’s a little bit scared to declare it because Alastair Clarkson has got the ability to change his mind and say: ‘I’m not coaching’,” he said on 3AW.
“But the further this goes on, I find that can’t happen.”
North have been the reported front runner for Clarkson’s signature for multiple weeks. A report in late July indicated he was seeking an eye-watering contract of $1.6ma year. Clarkson rubbed those reports.
Clarkson and Gerard Whateley co-hosted a function where the Hawks mentor put rumors of his big payday to join North Melbourne to bed.
“How explicit do you want me to be?” Whateley said on SEN when asked about Clarkson’s response from her.
“(He says it’s) bulls**t.
“That was Alastair Clarkson’s reaction to what’s in the public domain about $1.6 million to join North Melbourne.”
North Melbourne has reportedly tabled a “lengthy offer” to mastercoach Alastair Clarkson for 2023 and beyond.
The Age reports a contract of at least five years has been put to Clarkson to join the Roos and take over from caretaker Leigh Adams.
Fox Footy’s Mark Robinson said he believes the Clarkson-Kangaroos deal is “past the post.”
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“Everyone’s a little bit scared to declare it because Alastair Clarkson has got the ability to change his mind and say: ‘I’m not coaching’,” he said on 3AW.
“But the further this goes on, I find that can’t happen.”
Commentator Tim Lane said a deal between Clarkson and North Melbourne would be “exciting”.
“North Melbourne people will be ecstatic by this,” he said on 3AW.
“For them to get Clarkson back to the club, where he began his career, he also won a premiership in 2008 with a team that won before its time and that should never be forgotten.
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“Clarkson’s won four flags – no ones won more since Norm Smith.
“To have him in the firing line and back at that battling club is brilliant.”
North Melbourne and GWS are both vying for four-time premiership coach’s services after he finished up at Hawthorn at the end of 2021.
Both clubs have met with Clarkson in recent weeks, with the Hawks’ mentor set to make a final call before the end of the home and away season.
It is understood the Giants are yet to officially present Clarkson with an offer.
They are reportedly still speaking with other candidates like Adem Yze (Melbourne), Adam Kingsley (Richmond) and their current caretaker Mark McVeigh.
Robinson said he believes Yze is the frontrunner to take the reins at the Giants, while Leigh Matthews said he didn’t think GWS were going as hard as the Roos for Clarkson.
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“North are head hunting Alastair Clarkson,” he said on 3AW.
“I don’t think the Giants are doing that.”
Clarkson has previously said he’d make a call on his future in August, which has just over a fortnight to run.
Former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said the Roos had gone “all in” trying to sign Clarkson earlier this month, and said the club was a “real chance” of landing his signature.
Clarkson’s manager James Henderson told McGuire that the meeting went “very well” and that it was “a worthwhile experience”.
“There is no Plan B (for North) at the moment,” McGuire said at the time.
North parted ways with former coach David Noble a month ago after just 38 games in charge and Leigh Adams has been caretaker in Noble’s absence.
Just last month reports emerged Clarkson was demanding a whopping $1.6 million a season to return to coaching, but he responded to that by calling the figure “bulls**t”.
Brodie Grundy’s link to the Dees has strengthened after three key Melbourne figures met with the Pies ruck.
Plus while Essendon remains in negotiations with its skipper, it’s flagged preliminary interest in a North forward.
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Not only is Melbourne interested in Brodie Grundy, the club has met with the star ruckman, according to Sportsday reporter Sam McClure.
the Herald Sun reported on Tuesday night that the Demons, as well as Geelong, had emerged as “potential new suitors” for Grundy, who’s now central to ample trade speculation despite being contracted to the Pies until the end of 2027 on a deal reportedly worth around $1 million per season.
Giants football boss Jason McCartney was seen meeting Grundy’s manager last month, while Port Adelaide has also been linked to the dual All-Australian.
Speaking on 3AW’s sports day on Tuesday night, McClure said the Dees had been proactive and met with Grundy “in recent days”.
“Simon Goodwin was definitely there, Alan Richardson was definitely there and Max Gawn was definitely there,” McClure told 3AW.
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“Clearly Melbourne are of the belief that Luke Jackson is going to Fremantle, so they are on the lookout early and are getting in early in the queue for a direct replacement.”
While Jackson appears increasingly likely to request a trade to Fremantle, the Demons are keen to continue with a two-ruck strategy — and pairing Gawn and Grundy would bring together two of the AFL’s premier ruckmen in the past decade.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae declared on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 last month he wanted Grundy at the club next season, but remained tight-lipped on whether he was up for trade.
Grundy, who hasn’t played an AFL game since Anzac Day due to a knee issue, had been nearing a return to the AFL before suffering a stress fracture in his ankle in a VFL match, ruling him out for the rest of the home and away season.
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Gun Kangaroos goalkicker Cameron Zurhaar has received “preliminary” interest from Essendon, SEN reports.
Zurhaar, who’s been one of the Kangaroos’ most important forward 50 players over the past four seasons, in May put off contract talks, with his manager Anthony McConville telling the Herald Sun the timing was “not right to have fruitful discussions”.
That call to park negotiations, though, came before North parted ways with senior coach David Noble. And Zurhaar has been in excellent form under caretaker coach Leigh Adams, booting 13 goals from his past four games — including four from 18 disposals and seven marks against Essendon in Round 20 — to take his season tally to a career-high 32.
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SEN reported the Bombers had “some interest” in Zurhaar, but the Roos also had hope he would re-sign with them after a senior coach is appointed.
The report also suggested the Bombers are looking to acquire a big-bodied midfielder during the AFL exchange period.
Zurhaar, 24, has blossomed at North since being selected as a rookie in 2016.
He’s been among the top two leading goalkickers at the club for the past four straight years, including topping the table in 2020 with 18 majors from 16 games.
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Essendon skipper Dyson Heppell has been quizzed about his playing future amid reports of a juicy Gold Coast offer.
As Heppell weighs up a one-year offer to stay at Essendon, the Suns have reportedly upped their offer to the veteran defender and are prepared to offer him a two-year deal with the potential of a coaching future at the club post-playing career. .
While no formal deal had been tabled yet, SEN reported on Tuesday the Suns were preparing a four-year offer that would likely entail two seasons as a player then two as an assistant coach.
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Speaking to TV reporters on Tuesday, Heppell said his manager and the Bombers were “working through” negotiations, adding he was hopeful “something will be sorted soon.”
Asked if he was torn on his decision, Heppell told reporters: “We’re working through that at the moment. I’m really just honing in on trying to finish off the year well with the Dons and see how we go from there.”
Asked if a longer term deal would be more appealing, Heppell said: “Who knows at the moment? Everything will get sorted ASAP. I’m just trying to lead the club as best as I possibly can.”
As an unrestricted free agent, Heppell could walk to another club without a trade being made.
North Melbourne has gone “all in” on trying to sign Alastair Clarkson as their next senior coach, according to former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire.
Clarkson is currently being courted by both North and Greater Western Sydney, but McGuire believes the Kangaroos are “a real chance” of landing the four-time premiership coach.
North parted ways with former coach David Noble a month ago after just 38 games in charge and Leigh Adams has been caretaker in Noble’s stead.
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“Alastair Clarkson has met with Sonja Hood, the president of the North Melbourne Football Club,” McGuire told Channel 9.
Clarkson’s manager James Henderson told McGuire that the meeting went “very well” and that it was “a worthwhile experience”.
The former Hawthorn coach plans to meet with the Kangaroos again, as well as the Giants, in the coming fortnight.
“North Melbourne have gone all in on Alastair Clarkson, there is no Plan B at the moment,” McGuire said.
“If he doesn’t go (to North) they’ll come up with a Plan B, but they’ve shown that they want him.”
McGuire believes that Clarkson is now seriously contemplating coaching again next year, rather than waiting until 2024 to re-enter the fray.
The Roos are going hard at Clarkson (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
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“His management have said, ‘You know you don’t have to coach next year?’ And I think he’s thought, ‘You know what? I’m a coach, so I’m going to coach’, and North are now a real chance I reckon to maybe land this bloke,” McGuire said.
“But he wants to bring his own team, and I think he’s put his team together and part of his thinking might well be do they all want to live in GWS? Or can we do this at North Melbourne?
“There’s a bit going on in this story but there’s no doubt the list at GWS attracts Alastair Clarkson, but the romance and maybe the practicalities mean that he could well be the coach of North Melbourne.”
North have not interviewed anyone else for their vacant coaching job, according to McGuire.
“Until he says, ‘No,’ Clarkson’s the man,” McGuire said.
Former St Kilda and Fremantle coach Ross Lyon liked the Kangaroos’ “singular focus” in their approach.
“They really need to go all in, it’s a really good sign,” Lyon said.
“If he can bring his key people… those real pillars of success around him, he knows what needs to be done, he knows who to bring.
“It’s a super plan and I think he gets time there. No one expected them to make the eight, they’ve got green shoots, they’ve got a young midfield.
