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Essendon great Matthew Lloyd has lamented the “sad” position the Kangaroos find themselves in, and is unsure whether the returning Alastair Clarkson can get the club back on track.
It comes after North Melbourne slumped to its lowest point of an already dismal season, losing to the 18th-placed West Coast Eagles by five points on Sunday.
“When you take a look at the records of a lot of their players, they just don’t know what winning is and Clarkson hasn’t been there,” Lloyd told Nine’s Footy Classified.
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“This is quite sad, to be honest.”
Lloyd urged the Roos to look externally to hire off field support staff that can help shape their failing football program.
“It’s not giving them more players … it’s about giving them that off field support,” he said.
“They have to look at the club and go, ‘How can we have the best off-field support staff of all time?’.”
The Bombers legend even suggested Clarkson should “think” about his position within the club and whether his hefty salary is holding the club back from adding further staff.
“They might not have salary cap room … because of Clarkson … he has to think about that too, because you have the best of everything and the players don’t know how to win,” he said.
“Eddie Ford hasn’t won yet, in 18 games. Curtis Taylor 11 (wins out of) 52.”
According to Lloyd, North Melbourne should also be worried about the futures of key defender Ben McKay and Tarryn Thomas, having a combined total of 24 wins from 132 games.
“You’ve got Tarryn Thomas and (Ben) McKay, they’re weighing up whether they stay or go. You’d probably say ‘I’m going’,” he said.
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Geelong legend Jimmy Bartel backed Lloyd’s suggestions, insistent the Kangaroos assemble a strong team behind the scenes before looking for on field compensation.
“There needs to be more bodies in that department, more bodies in welfare, other than throwing another midfielder or another pick at it,” Bartel said on Wednesday night.
”On their list, they’ve got 28 players who are first or second round picks, more than anyone in the competition.
“You need to surround them with the best environment.”
The Kangaroos sit 17th on the AFL ladder with only two wins for the season.
They face the high flying Demons in Tasmania on Saturday.
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