It hurt at the time but Jordan Lewis believes Hawthorn's decision to trade him likely prolonged his career as he prepares for his 300th AFL game.
The Melbourne veteran is set to celebrate the milestone when the Demons face the Crows at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
A four-time premiership player with Hawthorn, Lewis was stunned when Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson floated the idea of a trade after the 2016 season.
Lewis ultimately signed a three-year deal with the Demons and has since become a key leader for the young team while holding down a spot in the backline.
The 32-year-old quickly made peace with the move and says it proved to be a refreshing change after 12 seasons with the Hawks.
"If I didn't get an opportunity to come to Melbourne, I might not have played 300," he told reporters.
"It wasn't as if I was playing bad football at Hawthorn and I didn't seek that change but having that change forced upon you, it does give you a bit more of a pep-up.
"You meet new players, you want to prove yourself again in a short period of time. That has all been positive for me."
Lewis' experience is likely to prove important for the seventh-placed Demons in coming weeks as they look to break their 12-year finals drought.
Rising star Angus Brayshaw, who on Wednesday signed a four-year contract extension, said Lewis had brought enormous value to the Demons.
"What Lewy's been able to do for this club in the short time he's been here is probably underestimated," Brayshaw said.
"He's such a critical thinker and a different thinker, the way he thinks about footy, and I see his fingerprints all over what I do now.
"I think sometimes we might hold him up on a pedestal and that's fair, because he's a superstar ... but he just really wants to give back to the club."
