Burton has spoken of the raw emotions last month while holidaying in the United States, when his manager broke the news that the Hawks wanted to trade him to Port Adelaide.

The 21-year-old defender was a key to the trade that sent Port star Chad Wingard to the Hawks.

Burton grew up a Power fan and he said that made the trade much easier to accept.

"When your name gets thrown up for a trade, it's never a nice thing," Burton said.

"I guess the shock and (I was) a bit shattered that the club was trying to get a deal done, it wasn't the best thing.

"But the fact I was getting to come home, to a club I grew up loving, just made it a lot better."

Burton spoke on Monday, officially his first day of pre-season training at Port.

But the defender went to the club last week to settle in and start work.

Burton was in LA when his manager first made contact and broke the news that he might be on the trade table, despite being under contract.

He went to bed not thinking too much about it, but by the next day it was clear that the Hawks were serious.

About a week later, the deal was done.

"Once you get put up on the trading block, you don't really feel comfortable going back unless you're 100 per cent wanted," he said.

"Port was on the other end and it was always a club that was in the back of my mind to go to maybe, down the track.

"It made it a lot easier."

Burton spoke to Port coach Ken Hinkley and Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson, but mainly went through his manager.

He would not go into the conversation with Clarkson, other than his football future and that Port were a good fit for him.

Burton said he is not out to prove a point to the Hawks.

"Here I'm just coming in as a player ... knuckle down and play some good footy," he said.

He can also see the positive side of being in a trade that included Wingard.

"He's a two-time All-Australian, so if I'm ... in a deal with a player like that, it must feel sort of nice," Burton said.

"That's how I looked at it.

"But again, it was shock, it took me back a little bit - I obviously had to work through a few things.

"Now, getting to come back here, just excited."

Australian Associated Press