HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson is concerned more of his peers could be lost to the stress of the game.

Following North Melbourne coach Rhyce Shaw's decision to take extended personal leave, Clarkson listed a number of his former colleagues that have battled with the additional stresses that being a coach can bring.

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"I'm a bit concerned for our profession," Clarkson said on Fox Footy.

"(James Hird) 'Hirdy', (Mark) 'Bomber' Thompson, (Dean Bailey) ‘Bails’, (Phil Walsh) Walshy, (Dean Laidley) Laids, (Danny) 'Spud' Frawley, (Don Pyke) Pykey and now Rhyce Shaw, and there are probably others who have done it tough.

"Some have lost their lives, not directly because of coaching, but some of it has been stress related."

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Clarkson believes AFL coaches are under increased pressure due to the "small fishbowl" nature of the competition.

"Any coach that does it particularly tough has to carry it in his public life more so than what a coach would have to do in a much bigger market like America or Europe," Clarkson said.

"I'm concerned and I think the game should be concerned because it's an enormous burden to carry."

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Clarkson put the onus back on clubs and coaches themselves to re-assess how much work they're taking on and to start looking after themselves more.

"Maybe it might be time that we have to take stock ourselves of just what our workflow is now in our schedule, because it’s getting to a point where we’re seeing some real casualties out of our industry and I don’t think that’s a good thing," Clarkson said.