Josh GIBSON

2017 Digest:   Veteran defender has played both JLT matches and likely to play this week against Port Adelaide.

2017 NAB Cup:  

2017 Season

Played for : Hawthorn

1	Ess	Unable to provide customary aerial support to fellow defender as he had his challenges with Daniher. Been better.	4
2	Adel	Really quiet all day. Doesn’t look the same player he once was and under pressure whenever he got it.	3
3	GCS	Made accountable by the Suns and struggled to provide regular drive from defence.	5
4	Geel	Looked awfully slow at times and seemed to be second-guessing himself all day. Father-time has got him by the boo-boo.	3
5	WCE	Better than he has been so far this season, but still not as his best. Played his part however.	6
6	StK	Floated between opponents in defence. A shadow of his former self. Just can cover the ground like he once did.	3
7	Melb	Took Hogan for long periods and looked slow on occasions. Still managed to gather 20 disposals and hit target with 18 of them.	6
8	Bris	Better then previous weeks but still looks slow and unaware at times. Ariel work was solid.	4
9	Coll	Continued to struggle on the last line in the absence of tall defenders.	2
10	Syd	Took his good mate Buddy and copped a big toweling then when he fell over in the shower.	3
11	Port	Got the job on Dixon who kicked two goals and four for the night. Hands were full from start to finish.	4
12	GCS	Had to stand Wright at times and was giving away 14cm so no match for the young Sun. Struggled. Ended day with injured groin.	2
13		Groin.
14		Groin.
15		Groin.
16		Groin.
17		Groin.
18		Groin.
19		Groin.
20		Groin.
21		Groin.
22		Groin.
23		Groin.

2016 Season

Played for : Hawthorn

1	Geel	Gave Kersten too much room early and Cats’ capitalised. Better in second half.	5
2	WCE	Floating off Hill and had monster first half with 25 touches. Ended with career-best 44 and a goal.	10
3	WB	Not as prolific as previous week but still a constant with his reading of the play.	6
4		Hamstring.
5	Adel	Adelaide successfully put work into limiting his ability to generate from defence.	4
6	GWS	Unable to free himself up to provide support to fellow defenders. GWS played him well.	4
7	Rich	In orthodox defensive role on Riewoldt early. Better when on others.	6
8	Frem	Strong in back half and even drifted forward for rare goal.	6
9	Syd	Tried hard in defence, but couldn’t stem the tide.	5
10	Bris	Defensive pressure a standout and toiled hard in close with 13 contested possessions.	7
11	Melb	Tried to free himself up but caught napping at times. Much better in the second half.	6
13	NM	On the end of some heavy treatment but kept doing the little things.	5
14	GCS	Had Day at times and did that well while rebounding stoutly. Key player in win.	7
16	Port	Started on Young but more comfortable as the plus-one in defence.	6
17	Syd	Rotated through a number of opponents and played his role. Eight marks.	7
18	Rich	Got in the way all day and racked midfield type stats. Kicked a rare goal.	8
19	Carl	Played defensive marshalling well but didn’t win usual amount of offensive ball.	5
20	Melb	Battled hard in key defensive post. Spent time on Watts among others.	6
21	NM	Got in the way like he does. Nine marks and 22 touches a handy return.	7
22	WCE	Couldn’t zone off to be third man up. Nothing went right for him.	4
23	Coll	Goldsack played defensively on him and that subdued his influence. Kept battling.	5
QF	Geel	Bartel matched up on him to make him accountable. Timed spoils and intercepts well as usual.	6
SF	WB	Dunkley defensive on him and paid him little respect. Limited influence.	4

2015 Season

Played for : Hawthorn

1	Geel	Got in the way all day down back. Why do clubs keep kicking it to him?	7
2		Soreness.
3	WB	Read play well as he zoned off resting rucks and others.	5
4	Port	Kept the Hawks in the game when the Power were swarming.	8
5	NM	Kept Petrie to just two goals and was a good link in defensive chains.	6
6	GWS	Got the better of McCarthy and was respectable on Cameron late in the game.	5
7	Melb	Pedersen proved more than a handful. Zoned off well though.	5
8	Syd	Everywhere in defence and spoiled everything that came his way.	7
9	GCS	Tradesman-like professional job down back.	6
10	StK	Always attentive with desperate spoils.	6
12	Adel	Clinical as the third man in to spoil or intercept.	7
13	Ess	Had a picnic down back and very good when game hot in first half.	7
14	Coll	Started on White and was solid.	6
15	Frem	Towelled up Mayne and won a stack of ball in back half.	7
16	Syd	Spent majority of time on Franklin and apart from brief period had him covered.	7
17	Carl	When ball came his way he usually got it. Another polished display.	7
18	Rich	Tigers were able to nullify his ability to rebound. Under pressure a lot.	4
19	WCE	Good job on Darling. Kept him quiet all night.	7
20	Geel	In patches able to be third man across but not his best game.	5
21	Port	Took Butcher and got a lot of ball in back half. One of Hawks’ winners.	7
22	Bris	Had McGuane for much of the day but peeled off to provide good drive.	6
23	Carl	Drifted off Watson to provide support in the air. Big numbers in defence.	7
QF	WCE	Touched the ball six times in first half. Hard to believe he was so quiet.	3
SF	Adel	Huge down back. Repelled everything that came his way and was ruthless.	8
PF	Frem	Got in the way all night and a terrier in thwarting the Dockers.	8
GF	WCE	Always safe and assured as a leader in the backline.	8

2014 Season

Played for : Hawthorn

1	Bris	Took the higher forward and spoilt effectively for most of the day.	5
2	Ess	Some of his work in tough contests was brilliant. Hawks’ best.	9
3	Frem	Started at CHB on Mayne and dictated terms.	8
4	GCS	On a succession of tall forwards and ticked over without fuss.	7
5	Geel	Went to Burbury and played off him to be a third-man across factor down back.	6
6	Rich	Tightly marked Riewoldt and never gave an inch. Reported last few minutes.	5
7	StK	Did well on Riewoldt and able to deflect all haphazard attacks.	7
8	Syd	Stout against Franklin/Tippett/Goodes. Injured shoulder in third term.	6
10		Pectoral.
11		Pectoral.
12		Pectoral.
13		Pectoral.
14		Pectoral.
15		Pectoral.
16		Pectoral.
17		Pectoral.
18	Syd	Franklin caused him all sorts of troubles early but worked into game late.	6
19	WB	Low key but effective role in defence.	5
20	Melb	Tracked Dawes and kept him to one goal but had help from extra defenders.	6
21	Frem	Working into form after long lay-off with serious injury. 22 touches and 8 marks.	7
22	Geel	With Kersten off he didn’t have a match-up and thwarted Cats throughout.	8
23	Coll	Massive. Racked up possessions while defending stoically.	9
QF	Geel	Attempted to sag off to play extra man. The game played into his hands.	7
SF		–
PF	Port	Had smaller match-ups than usual but punched clear in usual fashion.	6
GF	Syd	Had the job on his mate Buddy for long period. Worked hard and consistently.	6

2013 Season

Played for : Hawthorn

1	Geel	Had task on Hawkins and did it pretty well all day.	6
2	WCE	Kept Kennedy out of it early and worked hard all day.	6
3	Coll	Had hands full with Lynch but spoiling was first class all day.	7
4	Frem	Did his job down back.	6
5	NM	Started on Daw and then Petrie. Kept it tight against all North forwards.	6
6	Adel	Started off on Jenkins and fortunate his kicking boots weren’t on.	5
7	Syd	Had Reid for the most part and was far too good. Among the best.	8
8		Ankle.
9	GCS	Had ankle treatment first term but immediately got on with it. Solid.	6
10	Melb	Had trouble with Dawes at times but he got on top in the end.	5
12	Carl	Made a couple of skill errors early but in the end starred on Waite.	7
13	WCE	Had task on Kennedy and found it tough going. Injured leg late and left game.	4
14	Bris	Landed on his head in bad fall but escaped injury and went on with the business.	7
15	Geel	Went to Podsiadly and had him pretty well covered. Offensively down a tad.	6
16	Port	Had his hands full with Butcher and rarely came through as the third man up.	6
17	WB	Reliable in defence as always.	6
18	Ess	Steady throughout making life difficult for Bomber tall forwards.	6
19	Rich	Moved off Riewoldt early but went back to him and did better.	5
20	StK	Ran hard and kept with Riewoldt all the way.	6
21	Coll	Usual desperation and judgment down back opposed to Reid.	7
22	NM	Lifted intensity along with Hodge and Lake on back-line in second half.	6
23	Syd	Worked hard with spoils and tackles.	5
QF	Syd	On Pyke and Mumford. Looked to cop leg injury, but strong all the way.	7
SF
PF	Geel	Low key job down back and played his part.	5
GF	Frem	No flaw in his first half but tested when Pavlich got away from him.	6

2012 Season

Played for : Hawthorn

1	Coll	Surprisingly didn’t take Cloke and he struggled early but got better later.	4
2	Geel	On Podsiadly and won plenty of touches early. Pods got away late.	5
3	Adel	Picked up Walker and did his job in excellent fashion.	8
4	WCE	Strong performance. Did the team things well.	6
5	Syd	Good early but in wars with rolled ankle then Hodge crunched. Subbed.	4
8	Frem	Gave latitude to Freo forwards.	5
9	Rich	Spoiled well and did what he could but weight of ball coming in told.	5
10	NM	Had his hands full with Petrie early but as the supply waned, he got on top.	6
11	Port	Had the job on Schulz but always more comfortable as third man up.	7
12	Bris	Started on Merrett and had several opponents.	5
14	Carl	Had Hampson and a variety of opponents.	6
15	GWS	Able to get his hands on the footy down back under little pressure.	7
16	WB	Went to Higgins after his third goal and shut him out – among the best.	7
17	Coll	Whether Tarrant or Dawes he had them covered. Steady and reliable.	8
18	Ess	Picked up the tall forwards Hille and co and did it with aplomb	6
19	Geel	Did what he could and had Podsiadly covered when on him.	6
20	Port	Had his hands full with Schulz before an ankle injury ended his day.	3
22	Syd	Didn’t look to be fully fit but kept battling.	4
23	WCE	Had task on Kennedy and was superb in that job.	7
QF	Coll	Spoiling machine early which was a key when Pies were on top. A key.	8
PF	Adel	Adelaide framed tactics to minimise his effect and did it fairly well.	5
GF	Syd	Matched on Roberts-Thompson early. Most of second half on Goodes. Good.	7