After spending 1994 with the Newcastle Knights, where he represented the NSW City under-19 side, Gibson signed with the newly-established North Queensland Cowboys. 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-Bankstown 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.