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‘He’s not in their best 22’

Published by
Ben Pahor

Former North Melbourne and St Kilda star and current Fox Footy commentator, Nick Dal Santo, believes three-time premiership Hawthorn player, Josh Gibson, is no longer in the club's best 22.

Dal Santo, who has not wasted any time making headlines since his retirement, already calling on his former club to part ways with Todd Goldstein, while also suggesting his former captain, Andrew Swallow is on the way out at North Melbourne.

The 322-gamer has now suggested Gibson's current form does not warrant selection in Hawthorn's side.

"He’s not in their best 22 from what I saw yesterday,” Dal Santo said on AFL Tonight on Tuesday evening.

“It’s an isolated game but it’s been an isolated one month of football that we’ve seen so far.

“They’re all under the pump and it’s an amazing thing how it can change so quickly but it’s a lonely place out there on the MCG when you’re very conscious about what people are saying about you, you really want to perform well."

While we have only seen four rounds so far this season, Dal Santo said the game looks to have passed Gibson by, with the 33-year-old appearing slow and unsure of himself on the field.

“But then you start second-guessing yourself and there was a couple of efforts yesterday from Josh that it just didn’t look like him," Dal Santo added.

“It looked like he wasn’t sure what the game plan was anymore, wasn’t sure if he could physically do it, if he mentally knew what to do anymore and similar to the whole team, I just felt a little bit sorry for them.”

Gibson played 65 games with North Melbourne from 2006 to 2009, before joining the Hawks, where he has played 152 games, including the 2013, 14' and 15' premierships.

He was named in the All-Australian team in 2015 and is a two-time club best and fairest winner.

Against Geelong on Monday afternoon, he had 17 disposals, four marks and one tackle in the Hawks' 86-point loss.

Published by
Ben Pahor