Josh Gibson Biography

Josh Gibson joins the Kangaroos as a specialist coach of defence.

As part of a long-standing promise for winning the 2014 flag, Alastair Clarkson owes the five-man Hawthorn leadership group a trip to the Super Bowl.

Originally locked in for the following year, the trip was denied over what would've been perceived as a breach of the salary cap with the four-time premiership coach "gifting" his players.

And with each year that passes without the commitment being fulfilled, the reminders from captain Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis, Josh Gibson and Jarryd Roughead get more intense.

"Every year in the lead-up to the Super Bowl I'm getting text messages from these five or six lads saying, 'Notice you haven't got an airline ticket booked for me this year'," Clarkson said.

"While it seems like a gesture that's a little bit over the top, it's quite sincere from my family's point of the view, as well as our club, just what contribution they made to the success of our footy club through that period of time."

Josh Gibson is confident he has turned the corner after a slow start to the season, after being criticised for his efforts as the Hawks lost their first four games of the year.

But he has lifted his game to help the Hawks win three of their past four to revive hopes of making the finals.

"I feel like I've got better over the last few weeks, but definitely the start wasn't where I wanted it to be and what I want to be supplying the footy team with my defensive work," Gibson said.

"I can't dwell on the games that have happened, (I just have to) keep building and moving forward."

Ben Stratton has backed fellow Hawthorn defender Josh Gibson to rebound, insisting the veteran's leadership is critical to the side's 2017 campaign.

Stratton revealed Gibson was aware of commentary, saying "they want him to hang his boots up," and had discussed it with his teammates this week in the wake of the Hawks' first-up loss to Essendon.

"His leadership down there and throughout the whole club is just second-to-none, and if it was just that alone we'd be happy to have him," Stratton said.

"I haven't seen him play two bad games in a row really, so (I'm) looking forward to having him (bounce) back."

Shaun Burgoyne says he wants to play on in 2017 and believes Hawthorn teammates Luke Hodge and Josh Gibson will follow suit.

"I would like to (play on), but it also depends on how the club's going, how the body's feeling and whether I'm still getting a kick or not as well," Burgoyne said.

"We're all playing good enough footy and we probably will all go on.

"But you've just got to wait and see how things work out, because although we all want to play on forever, you've also got to have one eye on the future, and you want to leave the club in a good state."

Josh Gibson has poured cold water on former Hawthorn teammate Brian Lake's suggestion that the club was looking to retire two veterans a season as it makes the transition from one era to another.

Lake told RSN that his departure from the Hawks was part of a plan the club had to move on two senior players per season, and that David Hale and he were the first.

"I did want to play on, but you could see with their list what they were trying to do," Lake said.

"I think they were going to go [retire] two, two and two with the older guys, and me and David Hale were probably the guys to go first – and that did happen."

However Gibson queried where Lake had got his information from and said the last thing his teammates were thinking about on the eve of the season was retirement.

"I don't know where Lakey has got that from," Gibson said.

"Maybe he's getting into the coach's box, I don't know. Right now no one is thinking about retirements. We're focusing on having a big 2016 season."

Josh Gibson has entered rarified air at Hawthorn by joining legends Leigh Matthews and Jason Dunstall as the only Hawks to win multiple best and fairest awards in premiership seasons.

The versatile Hawks defender edged out runner-up Cyril Rioli for the 2015 award at Crown Palladium on Saturday night, two years after winning his first Peter Crimmins Medal.

He now stands aside the immortal Matthews (1971, '76 and '78) and goalkicking record holder Dunstall ('86 and '89) as a multiple club champion in premiership years.

Gibson polled 204 votes this season, 10 more than Rioli following the superstar small forward's career-best year.

Champion midfielder Sam Mitchell placed third with 192 votes after another dominant campaign, highlighted by a brilliant finals series.

Gibson said he was stunned to pip Rioli and Mitchell after their stellar seasons.

"These guys next to me tonight have had fantastic years, as have a lot of guys at the club," Gibson said.

"It's totally unexpected … I wasn't even thinking about this.

"To my teammates, I know it's an individual award, but you don't win these things unless you've got the support of the guys around you.

"Especially the brotherhood, my defenders, I love you blokes."

Josh Gibson is hit with a $1,500 fine for striking Carlton's Blaine Boekhorst.

Josh Gibson will finish his career as a Hawk after signing a one-year contract extension with the club.

"Josh has been such an important part of our backline since coming across to the club," Hawks list manager Graham Wright said.

"He has been great at being able to evolve and adjust his game and it's great for the club to have him around for another season."

Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson says Hawthorn chased free agent James Frawley with an eye to unshackling veteran defenders Brian Lake and Josh Gibson and swinging them into attack next season.

"We've been unable to play Brian Lake, in his two years at our club, forward at any stage – unless it's been a real pinch-hit," Clarkson said.

"The same with Gibson … and Stratton hasn't played another position other than in the back end.

"That's why we chased after James - to give us that flexibility."

Josh Gibson says the joy of winning the 2014 Grand Final with the Hawks against the Swans has been tempered by seeing former teammate Lance Franklin's pain.

"There's always going to be emotion - he's a good mate," Gibson said.

"I've been on the side of losing a Grand Final and it's not a great feeling and he'll be going through that.

"I'll give him space and when it's all said and done we'll catch up and hang out like normal.

"He's got a lot of close friends here, but that's footy, isn't it? We're all mates, but when you cross the white line you're enemies."

Josh Gibson is confident fitness won't be a problem if he makes his long-awaited return from a torn pectoral against the Sydney Swans in round 18.

"I've been training for probably the last three weeks with the group and I've been running for a long time before that," Gibson said.

"So I'm excited now that I get one more hit-out for the bye week then all things going well I'm back next week against Sydney."

Josh Gibson is set to miss about 10 weeks after undergoing surgery to reattach his pectoral tendon to the bone.

Hawks football manager Chris Fagan told the club's website earlier this week that Gibson had suffered "a bit of a stinger" in his left shoulder in a marking contest in last Friday night's loss to the Sydney Swans.

But the Hawks announced on Thursday afternoon that Gibson had experienced continued discomfort after the game with scans on Wednesday revealing "a pectoral major tendon rupture".

"This is obviously very disappointing for Josh, but he's a player of great character and will approach his rehabilitation with the highest level of professionalism to ensure he can have an impact in the back end of the season," Fagan said.

Josh Gibson extends his contract with the Hawks until the end of 2015.

Josh Gibson wins the Peter Crimmins Medal after being names Hawthorn's best and fairest for 2013.

Gibson polled 178 votes to finish 11 clear of Coleman medallist Jarryd Roughead while midfielder Sam Mitchell finished 10 votes further back in third and backman Ben Stratton was fourth.

"I'm very surprised but very humbled at the same time. There's been some fantastic winners and we've had some fantastic performances this year," Gibson said.

"So I'm honoured that the coaches thought I played that well this year, and I'm very proud to be the holder of the Peter Crimmins Medal."

Josh Gibson will be on a modified training program until Christmas, after having wrist surgery in the days following Hawthorn's 15-point Grand Final win over Fremantle.

The 29-year-old went under the knife to repair ligaments in his right wrist.

With a season-ending knee injury to Ryan Schoenmakers, Josh Gibson has had to defend taller opponents this season regularly, a task he has relished on his way to All-Australian selection in 2013.

"Unfortunately 'Schoey' went down, so it just meant it was pretty much the same old role – playing on blokes taller than me," Gibson said.

"I've done it for so long now that I'm not really fazed, but definitely leading into the season I thought it might be a little bit different on a week-to-week basis – I was getting my head around playing on some smaller guys who are my height.

"But that's footy – you've got to be prepared for everything, and I do enjoy playing on the big forwards."

Former Hawthorn great Dermott Brereton blasts Sydney champion Adam Goodes for allegedly trying to chop the legs of Hawthorn defender Josh Gibson.

The AFL Match Review Panel had cleared Goodes of the incident, saying he was making a legitimate attempt to kick the ball.

"Adam Goodes, as is his penchant ... lunges forward with a foot," Brereton said on SEN radio.

"To me, he knew exactly what he was doing and he chopped out Josh Gibson's leg. Quite possibly, that action can ruin somebody's career. In English football, that is a leg chop - that is red card stuff."

Josh Gibson suffers a nasty black eye during the Hawks' NAB Cup clash against Richmond and posts pictures of his swollen eye on social media site Instagram.

"He's had swelling above his eye drained," Hawks football manager Mark Evans said.

"It was drained by a facial specialist who is a plastic surgeon, but it is not plastic surgery."

Hawk defender Josh Gibson admits to feeling the pressure when he crossed from North Melbourne .

"You go to a club where probably a lot of people hated you, in terms of supporters and players, and now they're barracking for you," Gibson said.

"I felt there was some pressure, because you want to justify to the fans and the club that they made the right decision."

Josh Gibson says Hawthorn's backline has finally had some stability thereby giving the Hawks defenders a chance to gel.

"Since I came to the club there's been so many injuries," Gibson said.

"This year we've had a good chance to play games together, and we're starting to work out one another's strengths and weaknesses. I think we've been bonding really well."

Hawthorn defender Josh Gibson has signed a new contract which will extend until the end of 2014.

"I'm very excited that the club wants to keep me that long," Gibson said.

"We've got a young and positive list and hopefully we can take it a few steps further than the 2011 season."

Sam Mitchell beats Josh Gibson in Hawthorn's best and fairest count to win his third Peter Crimmins Medal.

"I think I was probably better defensively this year," Mitchell said.

"I worked pretty hard on that, particularly after the early part of the season where I got caught out a couple of times."

Hawthorn defender Josh Gibson says he is confident his repaired hamstring will withstand the rigours of an AFL season.

"The hamstring is great; it feels even better than the other one," he said.

"I haven't had any hiccups with it at all. No one else had really had that sort of surgery before, but it was totally the right option."

Hawthorn defender Josh Gibson is expected to return from a hamstring injury sooner than expected.

"He's doing some running and has progressed into doing some striding so it's coming along well," Hawthorn football manager Mark Evans said.

"Right at the start Josh had pretty good strength and I reckon the next three weeks will give us a greater indication of where he's at."

Hawthorn defender Josh Gibson will miss up to 12 weeks after surgery to a severely injured hamstring.

"Josh has a high-grade hamstring tendon injury," Hawks general manager football operations Mark Evans said.

"After consultation last night and this morning with our club medical staff and surgeon it was determined that a surgical procedure will deliver a better outcome than non-surgical options. Josh will have surgery later this evening."

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett is unimpressed with recruit Josh Gibson who was out partying until 6:30am on Monday.

Gibson escaped suspension but was imposed with a fine from the Hawks' leadership group.

"He won't be getting a Christmas card from me at the moment, I tell you. I've heard about Josh and I had discussions with the club," Kennett said.

"We have a code of conduct which has been developed by the players, the coaches, in conjunction with the board, and it is a very good code.

"That matter has been dealt with internally by the club today and that's where it ends."

Defender Daniel Pratt says former teammate Josh Gibson will not come in for any special attention when the Kangaroos and Hawks meet in a NAB Challenge match.

"People leave footy clubs. People come and go. He's gone. We're not really worried about it anymore," Pratt said.

"Everyone's moved on, he's moved on and we're happy with what we're doing now."

Josh Gibson says he did not actively seek a trade to the Hawks but jumped at the opportunity when approached by Hawthorn.

"I honestly didn't have any intentions of leaving North Melbourne. I was out of contract and wasn't shopping myself around or anything like that," Gibson wrote in an article for AFL.com.au.

"The Hawks approached me at the end of the season with an opportunity and I felt that with what they presented to me, I could really help the club on their journey back to the finals. I thought they were going to help get the best out of me and that is how the decision was made."

New Hawk Josh Gibson says his former North Melbourne teammates have been understanding of his change of clubs.

"It was a little bit tough but I've got a lot of friends there and the players were fantastic about it. I still speak to them regularly and they understand my decision," Gibson said.

Josh Gibson has crossed from North Melbourne in a deal that has secured the Roos picks 25 and 41 in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft.

"The club has given me the chance to play a role and I look forward in contributing to the future success of Hawthorn," Gibson said.

"I'd like to thank the Hawks for the opportunity and I look forward to playing my part."

Brad Scott fires a stinging broadside at departing defender Josh Gibson in his first address to Kangas faithful.

"I asked another player whether he desperately wanted to be part of North Melbourne next year and Josh Gibson answered no," Scott said.

''So on Monday morning, we will trade him out of the club. If you don't want to play for this club, you can play for someone else, because we've got something special here.''

North Melbourne defender Josh Gibson has been asked by the club not to attend tonight's best-and-fairest at Melbourne Park following reports that Gibson has requested a trade to Hawthorn.

Roos defender Josh Gibson remains tight-lipped over his playing future, refusing to commit to North Melbourne, as trade talk intensifies.

Josh Gibson is still required at North Melbourne and new coach Brad Scott expects him to be there in 2010 despite the defender having expressed his desire to be traded to Hawthorn.

"My attitude is Josh is a North Melbourne player and I would expect him to be a North Melbourne player next year," Scott said.

"Trades have a history of not getting done. There's certainly a lot of talk about them and when push comes to shove, nothing happens."

Josh Gibson informs North Melbourne that he wants to be traded to Hawthorn.

Gibson is believed to have been offered a 3-year deal with the Hawks worth over $800,000.

Dean Laidley is remembered fondly at North according to Kangaroo Josh Gibson.

"Dean was fantastic for us and it was very sad to see him go, but I thought the handling of it was really professional by him and the club," Gibson wrote in an article for AFL.com.au.

"It put North on a pedestal in terms of how we treat people, which is a massive part of this club's culture."

A meeting with his coach has convinced Josh Gibson to unburden himself of some of the issues he has been carrying into games recently.

Laidley told the media after Sunday's 54-point loss to Hawthorn that he had spent the first two days of last week with Gibson, who was in line to be dropped to the VFL after his poor start to the season.

"We just spoke about maybe some triggers to try to release some of that pressure during the week and play with a clearer mind," Gibson said.

"It was good. I just felt a little bit freer when I played."