MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 30: Kangaroos Chairman Ben Buckley speaks during a North Melbourne Kangaroos AFL press conference at the Arden Street Ground on August 30, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. Scott will continue as North Melbourne's coach until the end of 2020 after securing a contract extension. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

North Melbourne president Ben Buckley has announced he will relinquish his duties with the club next month, with the Kangaroos appointing their first-ever female president.

Lifelong Roos supporter Dr Sonja Wood is set to succeed Buckley, who will end his tenure as president six months earlier than first planned.

Buckley's premature departure will see Hood step into the role at the beginning of the 2022 AFL season in March in what will be a historic step for the Arden Street club.

In a letter to members, Buckley expressed his delight in the position the club is heading toward, which is sure to continue under the tutelage of Hood.

"I’m writing today to advise you, our fans and members, that I plan to hand over the presidency of the North Melbourne Kangaroos a little earlier than originally planned. It’s not a decision I took lightly but I feel the time is right for current board member, Dr Sonja Hood, to take the reins ahead of the coming AFL season," Buckley's statement reads.

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"I’ll continue in the role until March and retire six months ahead of completing my ninth year on the Board. That will mean I’m just short of completing the maximum three terms on the Board.

"For those of you who may not know Sonja, she is as North Melbourne as anyone I’ve met. She watched the Kangas from the terraces at Arden St as a little girl and has closely followed the ups and downs of the club ever since. Her love and understanding of North Melbourne extends past the football club, having served the local community keenly in her role as the CEO of The Huddle for five years from 2010-15. I couldn’t think of a better person to take the club into the next phase of our future.

"I’ll share more about my time on the Board and as President in the coming weeks but I can say that I have never been more confident in the club’s direction. Off the field, we have cleared our debt for the first time in almost four decades, we are about to embark on an $8m extension of our world-class Arden St home, and we are well-placed to play a major role in the Arden Urban Renewal project.

"On-field, our AFLW team has started the year in fine style, winning three of our first four matches under coach Darren Crocker and captain Emma Kearney. And our AFL team is building something really special under coach David Noble and skipper Jack Ziebell. Our fans are optimistic about the prospects of both teams, with great justification.

"We will have more about the handover process as we draw closer to March, but in the meantime I can assure you that we won’t be in caretaker mode over the next few weeks. Everyone, from the Board, to the staff, to all our players, will be working hard to ensure we take another leap forward as a club in 2022 and beyond."

Hood's appointment sees her join Peggy O’Neal (Richmond), Kate Roffey (Melbourne) and Kylie Watson-Wheeler (Western Bulldogs) to become the fourth active female president in the AFL.

Buckley's departure will end on a high note after nine years on the board, with the club having announced they were debt-free as of last November.