While stark in his assessment of Saturday night's 65-point mauling - 18.9 (117) to 8.4 (52) - at Marvel Stadium, the Kangaroos coach was upbeat about rebounding from the loss.
The challenges keep coming, with North heading to the Barossa next Saturday in Gather Round to play unbeaten Gold Coast.
North captain Jy Simpkin told Fox Footy post-match that their team defence was "bloody disappointing" and lamented the loss was "the old us", not the emerging Kangaroos who are determined to start rising up the ladder this season.
"We're on the right path and we're making some progress," Clarkson said when told of Simpkin's sentiments.
"Players get emotional and they just really look at the scoreboard, but we've made some progress as a footy club and we'll continue.
"We'll roll up the sleeves, pick up the pieces. The sun's going to come up tomorrow - it doesn't feel like it will right at the moment - but we'll get back to work.
"We know there's a fair gap between us and Sydney ... it's a good opportunity for us to realise that we have a lot of work to do."
The big loss comes just a fortnight after North easily beat Melbourne at the same venue.
It will be a fierce game review at Arden St this week, with Clarkson noting the key difference between the two teams was Sydney's much better polish with the football.
He noted their better ball use "just ended up cutting us to pieces".
In particular, North were forced wide too often and Sydney owned the centre of the ground.
That gave the Kangaroos forwards no chance and the Swans were able to rebound out of defence too often, to fierce effect.
Clarkson added North were "spanked" at stoppages in the second half.
"Sydney over the last 12 months to two years has been the best corridor side in the competition," he said.
"It's very, very difficult when the ball is coming from so wide. It would have been beautiful to be a Sydney forward, because the ball's coming through the corridor and you've got multiple options.
"That's the benefit you get when you own the corridor."
Star North onballer Luke Davies-Uniacke had a sore hip, but Clarkson said it was managed through the game.
"He was able to finish the game ... he was okay to continue," he said.
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