'Real concern' remains over star coach's return

Leading AFL writer Caroline Wilson believes North Melbourne manager Alastair Clarkson "will instrumentality this year", pointing towards an end-of-season comeback, but added the nine is successful a "weird" coaching position.

Clarkson, who took indefinite permission from his relation astatine Arden Street successful mid-May owed to the Hawthorn racism investigation, returned to airy duties with the Kangaroos successful June aft stepping retired of the spotlight.

"It's a weird concern ... helium surely won't manager this week" Wilson said connected Nine's Footy Classified connected Monday night.

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"North are inactive unprepared to accidental what time it volition beryllium (when helium returns). But helium volition instrumentality this year.

"It could beryllium circular 20, it could beryllium circular 21. It volition decidedly beryllium by circular 22."

Wilson explained wherefore North Melbourne is holding Clarkson back, fearing helium whitethorn not beryllium afloat acceptable to measurement backmost into the floundering nine arsenic it continues to look aggravated scrutiny.

"There's inactive existent interest astir his carnal and intelligence wellbeing," Wilson said.

North Melbourne person lone won 2 games truthful acold this season. (Darrian Traynor via Getty Images)

"He volition beryllium backmost erstwhile everyone is perfectly definite he's ready."

As for interim manager Brett Ratten, Wilson expects helium volition measurement retired of the mode if Clarkson makes his anticipated instrumentality successful 2023.

"The North presumption is he's either coaching, oregon he's not coaching," she said.

"When Brett Ratten is coach, helium won't person Alastair successful the coaches box.

"You can't person some parents determination astatine the aforesaid time."

Kangaroos interim manager Brett Ratten. (Getty)

However, Wilson indicated that Clarkson is taking his instrumentality to the Kangaroos slowly, arsenic the nine battles with a increasing wounded list, including George Wardlaw (hamstring) and Cam Zurhaar (sydesmosis).

"Alastair has truly hardly been astatine the club, but arsenic a cameo show present and there," Wilson said.

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"He's started talking again to the elder coaches.

"Everyone says he's a batch better."

But Clarkson won't beryllium the saviour upon return, says Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd, who believes that it's excessively small excessively precocious for the struggling Kangaroos.

Alastair Clarkson hasn't manager North Melbourne since mid-May. (AFL Photos via Getty Images)

"They're successful a bittersweet state," Lloyd said connected Monday night.

"I deliberation it gets worse. (Ben) Cunnington hasn't played overmuch each year, he'll go, (Todd) Goldstein goes, Jack Ziebell goes, (Ben) McKay leaves. I wonderment if immoderate different players leave."

North Melbourne look a ninth-placed Carlton connected Sunday, hoping to triumph their 3rd crippled of the season.

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