After a disastrous season which saw the departure of coach Mark Neeld, the club has told James Sellar, Josh Tynan, Troy Davis, Tom Gillies and Tom Couch that they are no longer wanted. The players will leave the club alongside the retiring Aaron Davey, David Rodan and Joel MacDonald.

That club also did not renew the contracts of assistant coaches Brian Royal and Leigh Brown.

Roos told Fox Footy's On The Couch that the Demons were sounding out Hawthorn assistant Adam Simpson and West Coast's Scott Burns about becoming the coach-in-waiting under Roos.

North Melbourne assistant Brett Allison, meanwhile, has been signed by the Demons. Allison worked with Roos at the Swans in a development role with the reserve grade side.

Allison is a dual premiership player with the Kangaroos and has been in charge of the club's forward line since 2010. North manager of football operations Jon Haines clearly had mixed feelings about Allison's departure.

"Brett has been outstanding in his role with us over the past four years and departs with the highest amount of respect and good will. He will be a great loss and we wish him all the best," he said.