 In Round 1 of the 1995 ARL season, Gibson made his first grade début as a 19-year old in the North Queensland Cowboys first ever game.He scored the club's first ever try in the 16-32 loss to the Canterbury Bulldogs, and was named in the Norwich Rising Star Team of 95.He spent two seasons with the Cowboys, scoring 7 tries in 31 games and was the North Queensland Cowboys Top Tryscorer in 1996.