Watch Josh Gibson's interview in the player above.

JOSH Gibson says he felt pressure to perform when he first crossed to Hawthorn from North Melbourne.

The defender arrived at the Hawks at the end of 2009, after holding his own in several memorable battles with his now-teammate Lance Franklin.

"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 told Telstra's AFL Central.

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

The pressure intensified when Gibson tore his hamstring tendon in just his third game with the Hawks, sidelining him for 12 weeks.

"That was frustrating, because you want to prove a point to the fans and the club, and repay the faith," he said.

But the former Kangaroo has since more than proved his worth, playing 45 games in the past two seasons and leading Hawthorn's backline.

This weekend the 28-year-old is likely to match up on Adelaide forward Taylor Walker in the preliminary final.

Walker booted five goals in a brilliant display against Fremantle last week, but Hawks assistant coach Adam Simpson said Gibson would be primed for the challenge.
 
"He is such a competitive beast, and loves playing on the big dogs," Simpson said this week.