NEW DEMON ruckman Robert Campbell says he only started to feel nervous about whether his AFL career would resume or not just minutes before Tuesday’s NAB AFL Rookie Draft.

The 2008 Hawthorn premiership player retired at the end of the 2009 season due to a knee injury, but after missing the first part of the 2010 season, he resumed with Box Hill Hawks, shining in the VFL.

He was then selected with Melbourne’s second last pick (No.75), capping off a remarkable two years, as he takes up the story.

"In all honestly, I wasn’t nervous until 10 [minutes] to 11am today," Campbell said.

"The whole time I’d always felt like getting the opportunity would be something amazing, but having a year away from [AFL] footy gave me the understanding of what’s next in life for me.

"I was pretty happy either way it went - but in saying that, as soon as it got to 11am, I was definitely eager for my name to be read out - that’s for sure."

Campbell is now eager to take up the challenge of being a rookie again - a position he was originally in at Hawthorn.

"I don’t think the hunger ever really left me," he said.

"It was weird circumstances the way it ended the first time. At the start of the year, I had a definite urge to see how I could go and I kept training and my leg kept pulling up really well.

"I’m the kind of person that I wouldn’t put myself out there, if I didn’t feel I could definitely do it. I’m really confident and really excited about what’s ahead."