Jamie Macmillan has leapt to the defence of Andrew Swallow after former player Nick Dal Santo suggested the Roos were “moving him out of the team” by playing him out of position at half-forward.

Dal Santo, now a media commentator, has surprised Macmillan with his blunt assessments of some Kangaroos.

“Dal did say to me he wasn’t going to shoot any barbs but he’s already shot off six or seven of them so far so I am just waiting for one to come my way,” Macmillan said jokingly.

“Inside these four walls, Spitter (Swallow) is one of the most highly rated players,’’ he told the Herald Sun.

“The hard thing is we know what he is in the side for but I am not sure others do. Dal does know and I read he said he’s an elite tackler and elite contested ball player.

“He is absolutely in our best 22.”

Dal Santo defended his stance on SEN1116 radio on Thursday morning, saying he wasn’t being critical of Swallow and that he was only making an observation about the games he’d seen.