Sonja Hood responds to member unrest at North Melbourne

North Melbourne president Sonja Hood was called to a meeting by a pair of prominent Kangaroos members pushing for change at board level.

The meeting, which took place late last week and also involved board member Andrew Harris, was said to be cordial and respectful.

But the two members, representing a bigger group which includes former directors and players, is demanding Dr Hood and her board make immediate change.

North Melbourne has won only 20 games in six years, with pressure mounting on Alastair Clarkson ahead of a fourth season of a five-year deal at Arden Street.

The group made it clear to Hood that it wants new blood on the board to provide a fresh view. They said if those changes are not made in the short term, and the club again started the season poorly, then it would look to take more aggressive action.

“Start thinking about making some changes now to avoid a potential issue later on if we don’t get some traction,” one prominent member said.

“We’re just doing what active members would say at any club who is in our position, really. “You get together and you have a chat and you say, ‘Please explain what you’re doing and what you think is going to turn this around’.”

Contacted by SEN.com.au, Dr Hood said she had no intention of entertaining the demand, but admitted the time for improvement was overdue.

“We’ve been poor in men’s football for long enough. It’s been really poor,” Dr Hood said.

“We’ve been doing everything we can to turn that around and that needs to turn around this year. No one is under any illusions about that – not the board, not the football department, not the players, no one.

“They’re expressing a frustration which is universally held. (But) if I felt making board changes would make on-field footy better, then I’d make four changes.

“But we’ve got a very strong skills-based and very experienced board who’ve delivered enormous stability to the club.

“I don’t see how changing two people around a board table does anything but create instability in an organisation whose biggest challenge for a long time has been instability.”

Hood, a board member since 2019 and president since 2022, had sought to change the club constitution to serve beyond 2028 and her maximum three terms.

North members voted against that change at December’s annual general meeting.