Alastair Clarkson will coach North Melbourne for the next five seasons, with the Roos beating Essendon to the four-time premiership coach's signature after a week of turmoil. 

Clarkson was at the helm of Hawthorn for 17 years, leading the club to flags in 2008 and the famous three-peat of 2013-15.

He will return to the club where he played 93 games between 1987 and 1995.

Clarkson said he was looking forward to the challenge of turning around the club, which has just two wins for the season.

"As we've seen with Carlton and Collingwood it doesn't take much to turn it around," he said on Friday.

"Get the right people in, the right vision and everyone marching to the same tune, and you can pick things up pretty quickly.

"We know we have a lot of work to do … I'm really excited with that challenge, but it's going to take a lot of hard work."

Clarkson will be North's fourth coach in five years after David Noble was dismissed earlier this season after five wins in 38 games.

He said Essendon's interest in him over the past few days came "far too late to give it serious consideration", but that the Roos were the "right fit" for him and his family.

"It was really out of respect that I listened to what they (Essendon) had to say. Due diligence takes a lot longer than four days, for me," he said.

Asked why he wanted to get back into senior coaching after a year out of the game, Clarkson replied: "I thought to myself, this is what I do, this is in my DNA … I have to get back to the coalface of footy."

In a letter to members on Friday morning, president Sonja Hood said Clarkson's signature was a "real watershed moment for our club".

"Our former number 23, Shinboner #781, and four-time premiership coach will lead our talented, young group from 2023 until at least 2027," she wrote.

"I can’t speak highly enough of the professionalism of Alastair and his manager James Henderson over this past four weeks.

"We’ve had a crash course in getting to know each other and Alastair’s passion to drive our club back to where we belong is incredibly infectious.

"Today is a good day. Alastair’s coming home. To our home."

Clarkson will officially take the reins from interim coach Leigh Adams on November 1.

ALASTAIR CLARKSON'S AFL CAREER

As coach:
Hawthorn 2005-2021, appointed North Melbourne coach for five years ahead of the 2023 season.
Games: 386
Premierships: 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015
Wins: 225
Losses: 158
Winning percentage: 59

As player:
Started: 1987
Games: North Melbourne (93), Melbourne (41) - AAP