NORTH Melbourne has not approached master coach Alastair Clarkson about its now vacant senior position, according to president Dr Sonja Hood, and will start its search to replace David Noble later this week. 

Dr Hood also denied the Kangaroos had made any contact with West Coast premiership coach Adam Simpson in recent weeks about a return to the club he captained as a 306-game player. 

North parted ways with Noble on Tuesday morning and will now be in the market for its fourth permanent senior coach since 2019. 

Clarkson shapes as the prime target if he makes himself available for the position, but Dr Hood would not comment on Tuesday about the type of coach North would require. 

She did say the club was not interested in making "wholesale change" to its off-field ranks, however, as assistant Leigh Adams takes the interim role. 

ANALYSIS Noble's steady hand left North shakier than ever

"I'm interested in working with the really good people who are in our really good club," Dr Hood said in a media conference to announce Noble's departure. 

"We'll make sure we bring in the right people … (but) I'm not looking at wholesale change.

"I'm not going to speculate on what we're going to do from here." 

Noble warned there would be pain to come for the club's next senior coach but advised them to embrace the challenge.

He backed the current off-field regime to turn the club's fortunes around, despite the immediate outlook for a new coach.

"Be prepared to have some pain along the way. I still think there's a little bit of pain to go before the team really kicks into gear," Noble said. 

BOARD UPHEAVAL? Ex-North officials consider push for change

"I would think embrace the challenge. It's a great club, it's got a great future … I think it's a great opportunity for a coach to come and take on the challenge.

"I'm not going to be here, but we will survive, we will get better and we will make this turn around. These guys will turn it."  

Chief executive Ben Amarfio said the Kangaroos had been spending the maximum available under the AFL's football department soft cap this season. 

He said that would continue with a new senior coach, with the club to turn its attention soon to the logistics of finding the best possible candidates. 

"(The search) will start later this week once we get past all this, absolutely," Amarfio said.

Who will be North's next coach?

Senior experience

Alastair Clarkson 
The prized target but likely to have his own requirements at board and executive level before entertaining the position. A four-time premiership coach with Hawthorn, Clarkson has been out of coaching for one season but spent the year investing in personal development and significant involvement in the Tasmanian team project. Securing the former Kangaroos player would be an almighty coup. 

Don Pyke 
The former Adelaide coach stepped down in 2019 saying the club needed "clean air" to move forward, but he has returned to the industry and made a significant impact with Sydney as an assistant coach. Withdrew from the Collingwood race last year to remain in Sydney, but has not explicitly ruled out a return to senior coaching and is a proven commodity after taking the Crows to a Grand Final in 2017 and finishing with a 60.8 per cent winning record from four seasons. 

Nathan Buckley 
A Grand Final coach with Collingwood in 2018, Buckley has appeared content with his post-coaching life in the media and made references to the job no longer being on his radar. Led the Magpies for 10 seasons with a winning percentage of 54.8 per cent and was a target for the Kangaroos before they appointed Brad Scott for the 2010 season.     

Adam Simpson 
The Eagles have been emphatic that Simpson is the man to start their rebuild, and Simpson has also underlined his commitment, with a contract in place until the end of 2024. The Kangaroos deny any approach has already taken place, but they have previously attempted to lure the premiership coach back to Arden Street and could try again. He would tick a lot of boxes for the rebuilding club if willing to make a fresh start. 

Next in line 

Ashley Hansen 
Viewed as the best prepared assistant coach available, having contributed to the Western Bulldogs' success for nine seasons before joining Carlton as Michael Voss' right hand man and forward line coach for 2022. Has held development, VFL and a variety of assistant roles during his apprenticeship and aspires to a senior position. Noted for his ability to get the best out of players, he is a premiership coach at VFL level. Filled in for Voss in round two this season and led the Blues to a win against the Bulldogs. 

Jaymie Graham 
Part of West Coast's coaching panel in the 2018 premiership-winning season, Graham has furthered his experience at Fremantle this year and made an immediate impact with the forward line. Spoken of highly by players for his ability to build relationships and get the best out of them, the 39-year-old was among the final candidates considered by Collingwood for the position won by Craig McRae. Filled in for Justin Longmuir in rounds three and four this season and led the Dockers to wins against West Coast and Greater Western Sydney.   

Adem Yze 
Success has followed the Melbourne midfield coach, who was part of Hawthorn's successful era in a variety of positions including development, backline and strategy before joining the Demons ahead of the 2021 premiership season. Interviewed for the Adelaide position in 2019 and has ticked all the boxes to take the next step, completing the AFL's Level Four course. Led the Demons to a win in round seven filling in for Simon Goodwin. 

Scott Burns 
Has been a valued assistant everywhere he has been, starting with West Coast, where he developed a successful midfield, before joining Collingwood, Hawthorn and now Adelaide. Another assistant who builds strong relationships with players and enjoys the challenge of working with a young group, he is an asset to club's tactically and underlined his senior aspirations by completing the AFL's Level Four program. 

Daniel Giansiracusa 
Has interviewed for the North Melbourne position previously as well as the Carlton job won by Michael Voss, and is building a strong reputation as an assistant with future senior coaching ambitions. Was the AFL Coaches Association assistant coach of the year in 2020 while with the Western Bulldogs and has spent the past two seasons with Essendon.   

Adam Kingsley 
Viewed as being ready for a senior role, Kingsley has been a senior assistant to Damien Hardwick since 2019 and was among the final four for the Collingwood position won by Craig McRae. Highly rated strategically, Kingsley was an assistant at both Port Adelaide and St Kilda before joining Richmond and was a premiership player with the Power.