Ibbotson started 2008, his third season at the club, as the sixth youngest player on Fremantle's list and with one game to his name after debuting in 2007.
An aggressive youth policy has left the 21-year-old with 17 understudies this season, but he says he still fits into the young, developing bracket on Fremantle's rejuvenated list.
"When we're on the field it does feel like I've moved up a bit as far as experience goes," Ibbotson said from Fremantle Oval on Tuesday. "But I'm only 21 and this is only my second year playing football properly.
"I suppose looking around I do feel a little bit older, but I do still think that I'm a young player in the team."
Ibbotson is one of just seven Fremantle players to have played every game this season, along with Steven Dodd, Paul Hasleby, Stephen Hill, David Mundy, Nic Suban and Chris Tarrant.
Injuries have forced the club to call on 10 first-year debutants, plus an 11th in second-year rookie Luke Pratt, and Ibbotson said he had played a role with that group.
"I do get asked a little bit with little things," he said. "Matthew de Boer, he's always willing to learn, he's always asking questions.
"I've spoken to him a little bit about footy, but he knows that I'm only two years in as well.
"He can try and get as much information as he does. It'd be nice to think that they look up to me, yeah."
Ibbotson's breakout season last year was overshadowed by NAB AFL Rising Star Rhys Palmer, and the young Western Australian has again performed behind the hype surrounding exciting draftees Hill and Suban in 2009.
However he has lifted his possession average to 19.1 and is playing a number of roles in an effort to cover Fremantle's horror injury list.
"I've enjoyed playing different roles, I've played a few tagging roles and I've played back and forward a little bit," he said.
"I think that comes with having so many guys in and out of the team and Ryan Crowley and Rhys (Palmer) missing the season.
"I have enjoyed the different challenges, but I probably would have liked to have played a little bit more consistently throughout the year."
Ibbotson said he had been working hard with the Fremantle coaches to lift his contested possession rate and that was the area of his game he most wanted to improve.
"As I get a little bit older and start to play a bit more footy it'll come," he said. "It'll take hard work, and hopefully I'll be able to improve in that area."
