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North Melbourne have knocked back an application by former long-time Diamonds netball coach Lisa Alexander to become head coach at the AFL club.

Lisa Alexander has been told by North Melbourne that she needs more experience after looking to shift her coaching career from netball to AFL.

The former Diamonds coach applied for the vacancy left by the recent resignation of Rhyce Shaw but didn't even get an interview.

"It was a thanks but no thanks," Alexander told AAP on Monday afternoon.

"I was told I need to get more experience."

Alexander coached Australia's netball team for nine years and 102 Tests with a 81 per cent success rate, until she was told in March her contract would not be renewed - with the failure to secure the 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medal and Netball World Cup title contributing to that decision.

Despite her high-performance credentials, Alexander hasn't had any formal elite involvement in AFL, which the Kangaroos were looking for in a senior coach.

Alexander said she would look at working as an assistant coach at an AFL club or possibly a director of coaching role with the aim of becoming the first female coach of an AFL team.

She admitted it "might take 10 years".

Alexander said she hadn't turned her back entirely on netball, with the Queensland Firebirds and Collingwood Magpies both yet to name their coaches for the 2021 season,

Another avenue is moving into rugby, of which she is a passionate fan.

Alexander spent time early this year collaborating with an old friend in Eddie Jones, who coaches England's national rugby side.

The former Wallabies mentor has often trawled Australia's coaching elite for knowledge and ideas with Canberra NRL coach Ricky Stuart present during England's World Cup campaign in Japan last year, while Melbourne Storm assistant Jason Ryles recently joined Jones' staff as a skills coach.