Jake Stringer is shocked and upset that he won't play with the Western Bulldogs next AFL season but he doesn't blame coach Luke Beveridge for his impending exit.
Stringer, a premiership player last year and an All-Australian in 2015, has been put up for trade by the Dogs after a torrid campaign where he battled form, fitness and off-field issues.
The 23-year-old was blindsided by the move that came via a phone call from his manager after an exit interview with Beveridge where a potential trade was not mentioned.
"I was in shock because I love the boys and I love the club," Stringer said at the launch of AFL Trade Radio on Tuesday.
"I don't know the exact details on why (I'm being traded), I haven't spoken to Bevo I spoke to (list manager) Jason McCartney about those type of things.
"It was just a whole lot of little things that I could've done better whether it was training or in games. It was just a whole life sort of thing for me.
"I'm only young but I've learnt a lot this year and I'm really looking forward to what's next for me."
Asked if he felt he had been made a scapegoat for the Dogs' disastrous premiership defence, Stringer was emphatic.
"Definitely not," he replied.
"I haven't had the greatest year personally so I've got a lot to learn and a lot to do over the next 12 months.
"But I definitely don't blame anyone but myself."
While he's adamant there's no bad blood with the club, Stringer revealed he hadn't spoken to Beveridge since the coach went public with the shock trade news.
Stringer's manager Paul Connors told reporters he would nominate a destination club in the coming weeks, with Essendon considered the front runner.
"We've had discussions over the last few weeks but it's still early days ... there's a lot to play out," Bombers list manager Adrian Dodoro said.
"We're just doing our due diligence at the moment ... but obviously he's a quality player and we've made no secret of the fact that we're in the market to bring an A-grade player into our footy club.
"He's a player that we'd be extremely interested in talking further to."
