The opening pages of Ian Callinan’s AFL story read like a real-life fairytale.

Last December, aged 27, Callinan realised a dream he’d been chasing for a decade, selected by Adelaide with pick No.64 at the AFL Rookie Draft.

The four-time Central District premiership player made a seamless transition to training at the elite level, impressing teammates and coaches alike with his skills and professionalism.

He found his niche as a small forward during the NAB Cup/Challenge and was on track for a round one debut when he sustained a freak bicep injury in the pre-season hit-out against Carlton.

Scans revealed the serious tear would require surgery, and keep the goalkicking midfielder out of action for three months of his 12-month rookie contract.

After 10 years of knockbacks, Callinan was well equipped to handle this latest blow.

He decided that if he couldn’t have an impact on the field he would try and have one off it and set about becoming a mentor to his younger teammates, despite not having played a single AFL game.

“I sat down and had a chat with ‘Craigy’ [former coach Neil Craig] after the bicep surgery,” Callinan told afc.com.au.

“We had a fairly young squad and Craigy just asked if I could be a mentor to those younger players.

“That’s probably what kept me going last season really.

“I just tried to get around the young guys and the group as much as I could and stay positive.

“I’d been waiting for the opportunity to play AFL for 10 years and I didn’t want to let it slip.”

Callinan’s perseverance and upbeat approach to rehabilitation were rewarded in round 14 when he was elevated to the senior list and named to make his long-awaited debut against Geelong at Skilled Stadium.

Undaunted by the toughest road trip in the League, the Tasmanian-born onballer gathered 21 possessions and a goal switching between the midfield and forward line to be one of Adelaide’s better players in the disappointing loss.

He carried his good form into the game against the Sydney Swans the next week, picking up 17 possessions before straining his hamstring in the second half.

His AFL fairytale, quickly becoming a nightmare, was put back on hold until the final round of the season when he was recalled to the team to play West Coast.

“It was a frustrating season because of injury … but I’ve dealt with plenty of setbacks before,” he said.

“It was great just being involved with an AFL club even though we didn’t have success on the field last season.

“I got to play three games and I really enjoyed it.

“It reaffirmed to me that I could [play at AFL level], but I’ve believed I could do that for the last 10 years.

“I still believe I’ve got some good footy left in me.

“Hopefully, I get another opportunity.”

Callinan, who turns 29 later this month, will start his second year at West Lakes on the rookie list, but is hopeful he won’t stay there for long.

Adelaide has only one player, Michael Doughty, on the veteran's list meaning the Club can promote a rookie to play as early as round one, 2012.

“I believe that if I have a solid pre-season and play great footy in the NAB Cup I can play round one," he said.

“At the moment, I just want to make sure my body’s sound and get through the summer, so I’m ready to go.”

It’s been a rollercoaster 12 months for Callinan since he was first invited to train with Adelaide - his fifth invitation to train with an AFL club - last November.

With the 2012 AFL Rookie Draft only a few days, Callinan has been reminded of his own experiences last year.

“I was having a laugh about it with the boys the other day,” he said.

“The Club never really said whether they were going to pick me and I remember training the morning of the rookie draft thinking, ‘what happens if my name doesn’t get called out?

“It would’ve been a bit embarrassing going into the rooms, packing my stuff up and going home.

“Fortunately, my name was called out and all the boys got around me.”

Callinan’s debut against the Cats provided one of the feel-good stories of Adelaide's season.

Callinan’s six-year-old son Jack, whose name and birthdate are tattooed on the former JJ Liston Trophy winner's left arm, presented Callinan with his jumper before the game.

“My lad Jack enjoys his dad playing AFL,” Callinan said.

“He tells all his school friends, which is pretty embarrassing because whenever you go to pick him up from school everyone is staring at you.

“I only played three [AFL] games this year, but Jack replays them all the time.”

No longer troubled by the bicep injury, Callinan has already put on 2kg as a result of the Crows’ emphasis on strength training this pre-season.

His focus for 2012 is to reclaim his place in the team, but the popular clubman affectionately known as 'wingnut', says he also wants to maintain the mentoring role he assumed during his stint on the sidelines.

“Obviously, I want to keep my body sound and play as much senior footy as I can," he said.

"I also want to be a leader around the Club because we’re a lot younger again this year.

"Even if I’m not playing, I still want to be positive and be a mentor to the young guys.”