Rhyce Shaw will be officially appointed as the fulltime coach of AFL club North Melbourne on Thursday.

The former Collingwood and Sydney player has impressed Kangaroos powerbrokers during an eight-game stint as interim coach after the departure of Brad Scott.

North Melbourne have won four of the eight games under Shaw’s tutelage, although they are currently on a three-match losing streak and out of finals contention in 14th spot on the ladder.

As recently as Wednesday, the 37-year-old was insisting he was not yet over the line as Scott’s replacement.

“I’m just trying to control what I can and that’s coach North Melbourne against Hawthorn at the weekend … that’s all I can do,” Shaw told reporters on Wednesday.

“It’s a bit of a funny situation but I’ll just roll with it.”

The Kangaroos made a big play for former club playing great John Longmire but he elected to re-sign as Sydney coach, leaving Shaw as the red-hot favourite to succeed Scott.

North Melbourne will hold a media conference with Shaw at their Arden St headquarters at 12.30pm (AEST).