Nathan Buckley withdraws from North Melbourne coaching race

Nathan Buckley has withdrawn from the race to become North Melbourne's next senior coach, a major twist in the Kangaroos' search for Alastair Clarkson's replacement. He informed the club late last week, cancelling a scheduled presentation. Buckley, 54, coached Collingwood for nearly a decade, including the 2018 grand final, before joining Geelong as an assistant in 2026. His exit leaves first-time coaches Daniel Giansiracusa, Jaymie Graham, David Hale, and Xavier Clarke as candidates. North Melbourne parted with Clarkson after four seasons with only 20 wins from 81 games. The club faces pressure to appoint a coach for its young list, having also hired Kane Lambert as head of development.