Gibbons has been selected in Carlton's team for the AFL season opener against Richmond in front of an estimated 90,000 fans.

'Half of Coolamon' will make the trip to Melbourne and will join Gibbons' family in attendance for his AFL debut.

It was a moment that almost never happened with Gibbons eventually being rewarded by Carlton after being overlooked at the AFL Draft on six occasions.

Gibbons' father Brendan said he and his wife Joanne were extremely proud of Mick ahead of his big moment.

"The journey certainly has had it's ups and downs," Brendan said.

"He's been away in Melbourne for a while now and most people would be happy with what he had achieved and we certainly are.

"But Mick always had a goal and we're proud of how he never gave up when it would have been easy and most others would have probably given up.

"We're very proud of him. There's no other words."

Gibbons became one of the biggest talking points in the AFL last November when he was overlooked by all 18 clubs just months after his winning his second JJ Liston Trophy for best and fairest in the VFL.

But Carlton threw the 23-year-old a lifeline, courtesy of the new AFL pre-season supplemental selection period, and the rest is now history.

Gibbons said it was last year's draft miss that proved hardest to accept but he believes his son's country upbringing brought out the best in him.

"Absolutely. I'd never seen him as down after the last one. Even after all the drafts he's been through after that one to miss and see some of his teammates get taken, even though he was happy for them, that's the kind of hid he is, it was very tough," he said.

"But that country thing, coming from the bush, you never quite lose that even though he's got a fair bit of suburbia about him now.

"He's still a country boy at heart. He stuck at the VFL on 50 per cent of the salary he could get elsewhere but that's not what drives him."

Gibbons parents were both in attendance at the club on Wednesday when he was presented with his jumper, along with five other debutants.

Michael Jamieson, who were the number for many years, presented Gibbons with his number 40 guernsey.

Gibbons parents and brothers Zac and Lachie will be joined by a big group of family and friends at the MCG on Thursday night for the big moment.

Gibbons kicked three goals in the Blues' opening JLT Series game and has six disposals in Carlton's pre-season loss to Collingwood last week.

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