Brad Scott is in unfamiliar territory; outside the coaches box for the first time since he took over as coach of the Roos in 2010.

In a column for the Hobart Mercury, the sixth-year coach spoke about his expectations of the team while he recovers from the back surgery he had on Wednesday.

“It’s going to be very strange watching our game on TV from the comfort of my lounge room as the boys take on the Eagles at Blundstone Arena,” Scott wrote.

“I didn’t take the decision to go in for surgery lightly and as the leader of the club, being absent right now isn’t great timing given the result on the weekend and the position we find ourselves in as far as the ladder is concerned.

“Despite my desire to push through until the end of the year, things took a turn for the worse over the past two weeks and made life pretty uncomfortable. The pain became such that I was unable to function properly, sleep most nights and do what’s required of me as senior coach without risking long term injury.

“In my absence, Darren Crocker will fill-in as interim coach but it’s not a task he’ll be taking on alone. We have a tremendously talented group of assistant coaches and development coaches who will all step up and accept more responsibility. Leigh Tudor, Shane Watson, Josh Drummond, Gavin Brown, Jarred Moore and Ben Dyer are all very capable in the own right and I have every confidence in them leading the team while I’m away.”

Scott said everyone at the club was still boiling inside following the most recent loss.

“We haven’t shied away from the fact that the performance against Collingwood was, as I put it after the game, disgusting and very un-North-Melbourne-like. For whatever reason, the boys went away from what we were good at in the second half and allowed the opposition to get a sniff and work their way back into the game. Some decisions were regrettable and some actions unforgiveable but luckily, we have a chance to redeem ourselves.”

The players didn’t get off lightly without some home truths being voiced earlier in the week according to Scott.

“We had a very honest review process on Tuesday and the players were given very direct feedback, as you would expect.

“However, while it’s been a very disappointing week, we won’t be dwelling on it. The North Melbourne Football Club has a history of bouncing back especially when our backs are against the wall and the response I’ve seen from the players already this week on the training track shows me they are more than determined and willing to turn our season around and that starts now against the Eagles.

“So if you’re coming to the game or just watching on TV like me, expect to see a fired up Kangaroos’ who are out to fight hard and get some respect back.”

Scott believes the Roos will thrive on the upcoming challenges with games against Sydney and Greater Western Sydney to come before the bye.

“They are all tough games and the way the fixture has been set up makes for a brutal start to the year for us and for the other teams that finished high up on the ladder last season.

“I have mentioned on a number of occasions, we won’t get a true reflection of where each team is at, until at least the half-way point. That being said, we are far from comfortable sitting in our current position and will be doing everything in our power to rectify it.”

Scott is expected to have ongoing communication with Crocker and the coaches before his return to the Arden Street in early July.

“All going well, I will physically be in the coach’s box in time for the Round 15 match against Geelong at Etihad Stadium,” he said.