NORTH Melbourne's Josh Gibson looks at his new teammates knowing just how lucky they are.

Settled in the Roos' defence, alongside deputy vice-captain Daniel Pratt, Michael Firrito and Leigh Harding, Gibson has others who share his outlook.

After all, three of the club's five selections in Tuesday's NAB AFL Rookie Draft – Marcus White, Luke Delaney and Ben Speight – may have thought a spot on a 2009 list had passed them by.

Four years ago, Gibson was in a similar position but had already been pushing his name for three full seasons.

He nominated for the draft as a schoolboy in 2001, without any success, and again after a season with TAC Cup side Oakleigh.

Sidelined for most of 2003 with an ankle injury, more match-time came with Port Melbourne the next year. A forward for North's VFL affiliate, Gibson was in view but still had to wait for the rookie draft.

"I'd spent two years at Port Melbourne so the window was closing," he said. "I was on first-name basis with all the guys at those state screenings. I was there just about every year. It was third-time lucky and it's good to be here.

"I'm very grateful and I've been given wonderful opportunities. I look back on it and I'm pretty happy with the achievement after not getting drafted in 2000 and 2001."

Now 24, Gibson carries an aura of experience beyond his 43 games. Maybe it was the VFL apprenticeship before his 2006 debut or his duels with Hawthorn's Coleman Medallist Lance Franklin and Carlton spearhead Brendan Fevola since.

Whatever it is, he still flags it as a learning process.

"I have played on some tough opponents and learned a lot", he said. "I beat a few of them at times but got my pants pulled down by a couple of them.

"[At my age] people don't treat you like a kid. I came to the club the same time as (2004 draftee) Jesse Smith and those guys, but you do probably get touted as being a bit older and mature.

"Maybe sometimes people don't realise how young I am in terms of playing the game. But I just keep my focus on where I need to be at and what the coach wants me to do."

A head injury sustained in a domestic accident limited Gibson to 12 games in 2007, while a knee strain had him three rounds away from a complete campaign this year.

But he's a regular in senior selection, forming a crucial combination with Firrito and Pratt and a clear credit of the opportunities time can benefit.

Firrito was elevated from the rookie list at the end of 2003, while Pratt took a prodigal path after being delisted by North and spending a year with the Brisbane Lions.

Harding, re-invented as a backman after a knee reconstruction, is another rookie-list graduate and key position prospect Scott Thompson was drafted as a 21-year-old from Geelong's VFL side.

Add Nathan Grima, 23, who served the last 12 months as a rookie and Alan Obst, 21, who earned another nod on Tuesday.

"We always laugh about it," Gibson said. "We call ourselves the reject shop, but once you get here it just puts you on a level playing field and you've got to perform to stay here."