But it was not Hawthorn's widely reported approach during trade period that prompted the speedy small forward to consider his football future, rather the frustration of a bad run of soft-tissue injuries.
In his second AFL season, 2008, Campbell had emerged as a key member of North's forward line.
In his 22 games that year, he regularly ran down unsuspecting opposition defenders and formed an exciting partnership with fellow small forward Lindsay Thomas that netted 32 goals for each.
But in his next three seasons recurring soft-tissue injuries - mainly hamstring strains - limited Campbell to just 32 games and 28 goals.
And after playing the fewest games in his five-season career last year (eight), Campbell's head was telling him to look elsewhere.
"I just think you get a bit frustrated with injuries and you start to wonder whether a fresh start is the thing for you," Campbell, 25, told AFL.com.au.
"But through the whole of trade week my heart remained at North. I was still talking to North and still trying to nut the details out. My first priority was to sign with North Melbourne and I ending up getting the (two-year) deal.
“You hear the rumours that other clubs are interested, but there are plenty of rumours going around at that time of year.”
Having recommitted himself to North, Campbell says his focus is now on repaying the club for the faith it has shown in him.
Fortunately, there have been encouraging signs recently that injury will no longer prevent him from doing so.
After playing North's final eight games last season, most memorably kicking five goals in the narrow round 20 loss to Hawthorn, Campbell is coming off an uninterrupted pre-season.
For that, he credits the physio program designed for him by North director of medical services Steve Saunders.
Saunders' program has centred on strengthening Campbell's core muscles, an area where he was lagging behind many of his teammates, particularly former captain Brent Harvey and his successor Andrew Swallow.
"This pre-season, I've felt like a new player pretty much," Campbell says.
"The work that the physio staff have done for me and the hours they have put in have been unbelievable. Every morning, I've been coming in and doing physio and finally we seem to have got it right.
"It's been good to play all the games in pre-season without any dramas."
Despite occasional runs in the midfield in recent seasons, Campbell is hoping to re-establish a partnership with Thomas in 2012.
Both joined North in 2007 and both played 35 games in their first two seasons, but since then Thomas has had to shoulder much of the small-forward load on his own - he has now played 91 games, Campbell 67.
But Campbell is confident he and Thomas can re-establish the understanding that characterised their 2008 double act.
"It would be good to take a couple of shots off 'Linds' - he's getting all the shots (Thomas kicked 29.58 last season)," Campbell says.
"Obviously he's finding it tough to put them through, but if I can just help him get his goalkicking yips under control he's going to help us win more games. I don't mind if I'm doing the tackling and he's kicking the goals, just so long as we're winning."
Nick Bowen covers North Melbourne news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter @AFL_Nick
