One of the AFL's greatest players, Carey says he is concerned about the "catastrophic" Kangaroos after their miserable three-win season and plans to offload key forward Ben Brown and star veteran Shaun Higgins.

Legendary centre-half-forward Carey has slammed club management, including chief executive Ben Amarfio and board member Glenn Archer - a premiership teammate who Carey infamously fell out with.

The comments of Carey come a day after North confirmed coach Rhyce Shaw had been granted an extended period of leave from the club.

"We had a statement from (chairman) Ben Buckley (on Friday) to tell us what's going on around the senior coach Rhyce Shaw, but who else have we heard from?," Carey said on Triple M.

"We haven't heard from anyone.

"When things are going bad like they are for North and I think bad is a kind word to use for North at the moment, it's catastrophic.

"Why haven't we heard from any of these key people? What is the direction?

"Give your supporters some sort of feedback on what is going.

"We're all sitting in the dark - and that's all that I am is an ex-player that is interested - and we don't know anything.

"The place is an absolute shambles and we're hearing from no one.

"If you believe what we're told, this place has got cancer running right through the footy club. It is really concerning."

North recently axed a number of coaches, including senior assistant Jade Rawlings after just one season of his three-year deal.

The Kangaroos recently appointed premiership hero John Blakey, who will return to Arden St after 14 seasons in the Sydney coaching box working with Swans mentor John Longmire.

Carey starred in 244 games for the Kangaroos, kicking 671 goals between 1989 and 2001, before splitting with the club in acrimonious circumstances after the revelation he had been having an affair with vice-captain Anthony Stevens' wife.

Australian Associated Press