Instead of joining their team-mates on the plane to New Zealand, the pair were forced to make an unexpected detour to Perth for independent testing, after they were reported for suspected illegal bowling actions during the recent tour of India.
Gibson accompanied his charges to Australia and said the ''initial feedback from the people doing the testing was positive''.
''The ICC set these rules or guidelines, whatever you want to call it, and the guys fully adhered to everything they were asked to do and delivered exactly as they were required to do,'' Gibson said.
''We get a report in 14 days I believe, so we are hoping in 14 days time we'll get a positive result and the guys can put the episode behind them and start to focus much more on cricket.''
Fellow spinner Sunil Narine was called into the squad as cover but both Shillingford and Samuels are available for selection for the first test which gets under way in Dunedin tomorrow.
Still, it has set back their preparations and then there is the question of whether it has shaken their belief.
''It is tough for them but I think they coped with it quite well and they will definitely come into the reckoning for this test.''
Samuels is predominantly in the side for his skills with the bat but Shillingford needs to be able to bowl with confidence in order to hold off the challenge from Narine and Veerasammy Permaul. Narine, in particular, has an excellent record against New Zealand.
While Shillingford and Samuels are likely to play, there are a couple of other selection dilemmas.
Tino Best will spearhead the pace attack with the captain Darren Sammy bowling first change. Who partners Best is still open, though.
Shannon Gabriel shared the new ball with Best in the last test against India but left-armer Sheldon Cottrell got the nod in the match before that.
''Tino is the senior bowler here and he will lead in that way. Sheldon or Shannon, which ever one gets the opportunity, will be able to go and express themselves, knowing that Tino and Darren Sammy, and whichever spinner plays, will do the bulk of the work.''
Either Kraigg Brathwaite or Kirk Edwards - Gibson gave no clue which - will fill the void left by the injured Chris Gayle. Gayle would have been playing in his 100th test and is a huge loss.
