[2] Sam played for the Bilambil Jets in the Group 18 Rugby League on the New South Wales Northern Coast.

[5] He made the switch after coming to the realisation that his body type - tall and skinny was not ideally suited to rugby league.

[6] The 2007 season brought further opportunities for Gilbert and he was included for the Round 5 match against Port Adelaide, after improved form in St Kilda's VFL affiliated team, the Casey Scorpions.

He held his spot in the side and improved under coach Ross Lyon, playing every game for the rest of the year.

St Kilda qualified in first position for the 2009 finals series, winning the club's third minor premiership.

[11][12] On 21 November 2018, Gilbert joined Sandringham (St Kilda's reserves affiliate) in the Victorian Football League (VFL) as a playing assistant coach.

[14][15] In May 2019, Gilbert tested positive for cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine on the day of a game, in violation of anti-doping rules.