Josh Gibson is the final addition to North Melbourne's 2023 coaching panel and will support assistant coach John Blakey in the role of specialist coach of defence.

Shinboner No.921 Gibson played 65 games in four years for the Kangaroos before he switched stripes to join Hawthorn at the end of 2009. He featured 160 times for the Hawks from 2010 to 2017 under now North Melbourne senior coach Alastair Clarkson.

Playing primarily as a key defender, Gibson was a crucial part of Hawthorn's three Grand Final victories across 2013-2015, underlined by his two Best and Fairest wins in 2013 and 2015.

Gibson will not only reunite with Clarkson, but with fellow three-time flag winner Liam Shiels and versatile 96-gamer Daniel Howe, who all shared time at the Hawks.

Over the past month, the Kangaroos have also welcomed to the coaching ranks development coach Emma Kearney, and part-time assistant coaches Brett Ratten and Damian Monkhorst.

They each bring their own wealth of experience to the existing panel, which includes Clarkson, Blakey, Gavin Brown, Brent Harvey, Leigh Adams, Jordan Russell and Tom Lynch.

Former Port Adelaide and St Kilda player Jarrod Lienert will fulfil a role as part-time assistant coach and player role under Lynch in the VFL program. The recently delisted mature-aged defender managed 34 games across his six-year career in the AFL.

North Melbourne's coaching panel is now one of the league's most decorated with over 2,250 games of cumulative playing and coaching experience with multiple premierships won as players, coaches and assistant coaches across all levels of football. 

Former Melbourne great and experienced assistant coach and administrator Todd Viney (general manager of football), Brady Rawlings (head of football talent), Daniel Cross (reconditioning coach) and Scott Clayton (national talent scout) round out the extraordinary wealth of AFL playing experience in the football department heading into 2023.

North Melbourne 2023 coaching panel

Senior coach – Alastair Clarkson
Assistant coaches – John Blakey (defence), Jordan Russell (midfield), Leigh Adams (forwards)
VFL & development coach – Tom Lynch
Head of development – Gavin Brown 
Development coaches – Brent Harvey, Emma Kearney
Part-time specialist coaches – Brett Ratten, Josh Gibson, Damian Monkhorst