Gibson joined the Hawks on Monday morning in the first completed deal of trade week.
North Melbourne will receive picks 25 and 41 from the Hawks as part of the deal.
While giving up the defender, the Roos have also handed pick 69 to Hawthorn.
Trading Gibson has further shored up the Roos’ position ahead of next month’s NAB AFL Draft, with new coach Brad Scott well equipped to further build his young list.
“We’re happy with the outcome,” McDonald said from Etihad Stadium on Monday morning.
“To get picks 25 and 41 gives us five picks inside 41 [in the draft].
“We’ve invested in the draft the past three years and we’ve got a really strong focus to do the same thing again this year.
“I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for our footy club; we’ve got a new coach, we’re going into a new facility and we’re going to have five quality young blokes that want to play for our club.”
McDonald said he couldn’t be certain whether the Roos would continue to be active in trade week, but reaffirmed the club’s view to head to the draft with some prize selections.
“Standing right here now, yeah we’ll be using those picks [on draft day],” he said.
“I haven’t got a crystal ball in terms of what happens today or what happens for the rest of the week but our intention was to get picks, especially with this deal, and we’re quite comfortable with how it’s all panned out.”
The Kangas are eager to keep their young list together. One player who has been mentioned in trade talks is big man David Hale, who had a relatively subdued season after a stellar 2008.
But McDonald wasn’t speculating on who might or might not create discussion in trade week.
“We’ve got no comment to make whatsoever about any of our other players because as far as we’re concerned all our players are required,” he said.
North Melbourne currently possesses picks 5, 21, 25, 37 and 41 in the NAB AFL Draft, which will be held on Thursday, November 26.
The 2009 AFL exchange period runs from October 5-9. No trades are official until paperwork has been accepted by the AFL and formally recognised after 2pm on Friday, October 9.
