Does Clarkson have to begin delivering at North Melbourne as Longmire looms large?

With John Longmire potentially looming large, is Alastair Clarkson under pressure to keep his job at North Melbourne?

Kane Cornes thinks that the four-time premiership coach might be feeling the heat if the Roos don’t continue in an upward trajectory in 2025 despite Clarkson being contracted until the end of 2027.

In Clarkson’s two seasons at the helm so far, the Roos have finished 17th, ending both 2023 and 2024 with 3-20 win-loss records.

While the Roos were starting from the bottom when he landed at Arden Street, Cornes expects to see some significant improvement from the side in 2025 and he feels North fans would feel the same.

With former Kangaroo Longmire also quitting his senior post at Sydney in recent months, Cornes thinks that the club could look to the 2012 premiership coach as a genuine option should Clarkson’s side remain stuck to the bottom of the ladder.

He discussed the pressure that Clarkson may find himself under with Sam Edmund on SEN Breakfast. The duo also revealed their hopes for the Roos this campaign.

Cornes: “What level of pressure is on Alastair Clarkson, considering the link to North Melbourne and John Longmire?

“Is there a world in which it doesn't go well and Clarko is not the coach of North Melbourne this time next year?”

Edmund: “Yeah I think there's a chance. Hopefully, this isn't the case, but if it's a shocking year, another shocking year (it could be his last year).

“Because we're all thinking the trajectory is going up, they've recruited well, the kids are set and if they keep Luke Davies-Uniacke - which I think they will - then if it doesn’t keep going up for them, you’d be delusional if you didn’t think he was under some sort of pressure.”

Cornes: “I would agree.”

Edmund: “Not so much for Longmire, I think he'd be under pressure anyway.”

Cornes: “I think Longmire just adds a fraction more pressure, I think it’d be a great job for John Longmire to get. 

“At that stage, North would be pretty much ready to go, and if he came in I think he could have a huge impact. 

“It would just be a big cheque to pay out Alastair Clarkson, one that I'm not sure North Melbourne is willing to write.”

Edmund: “It's 36 games in, I mean it's not a huge amount of time for a team that's absolutely starting again.”

Cornes: “But you'd want to start making a move and a significant move I would have thought, I’m talking about 9 or 10 wins for North in 2025.”

Edmund: “That's your expectation? That's a pretty significant bump.”

Cornes: “Yeah, but there should have been a bump in 2024 … it should have been seven or eight last year.

“I think that's in line with the expectations that should be there for North fans.”

North Melbourne open their 2025 season with a Round 1 clash against the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Saturday, March 15.