Alastair Clarkson will go down in history as one of the greatest head coaches in the AFL’s modern era.

Following an over 100 games career as a player at North Melbourne and Melbourne, Clarkson would take the reins as head coach of the Hawthorn Hawks in 2005, eight years after he retired.

Clarkson oversaw a return to the finals for the Hawks in 2007 and in 2008 led them to their first premiership in 16 years.

Four years later, Clarkson’s dynasty at the club was beginning to build as Hawthorn qualified for the 2012 AFL Grand Final, where they lost to the Sydney Swans.

However, the Hawks would go on to win the next three Grand Finals, first against the Fremantle Dockers in 2013, before they got their revenge against Sydney in 2014 and finally defeated the West Coast Eagles in 2015.

Clarkson parted ways with the Hawks at the end of last season and is currently the hottest free agent in the AFL, with his former club, the North Melbourne Kangaroos and the Essendon Bombers both in a battle to secure his services for 2023.

Former Bombers coach and current board member Kevin Sheedy have reportedly outraged those behind the scenes at North Melbourne as he suggested Clarkson could oversee a move to Tasmania for the Kangaroos if he was to take over as head coach.

The Age’s Caroline Wilson condemned Sheedy’s comments on Nine’s Footy Classified.

“He’s lost the plot, Kevin,” said Wilson.

“I don’t see that his role on the board is tenable after those comments.

“You talk about quick fixes and little things that look good for the club.

“Putting Kevin on the board, to be brutal, was one of those.

“One of the greatest Essendonians ever, but he has not been a strong board member.

“He doesn’t support Ben Rutten, but to then go on radio and suggest another club should maybe move to Tasmania … I don’t think that’s what a board member should do.”

The 2022 AFL season will end in disappointment for both clubs this weekend as neither has qualified for the finals, with North Melbourne currently in last place on the ladder and Essendon in the bottom four.