CHAD Wingard is a Hawk and Ryan Burton has officially joined Port Adelaide alongside Lion Sam Mayes in two huge trades to kickstart a bumper final day of the NAB AFL Trade Period.
It also left the Power armed with Brisbane’s pick No.5, exchanging pick No.6 with the Lions, a selection set to be used for the acquisition of Fremantle’s Lachie Neale.
Hawthorn’s pick No.15 moved to the Power, the Lions gaining Hawthorn's pick No.35 and a future third-round selection.
Contracted to the Lions for one more season, Mayes was granted his wish to return to South Australia to be closer to his family.
Burton’s manager Marty Pask confirmed the former Hawk had agreed to a four-year deal at the Power.
The prospect of being traded to Alberton was a clear surprise to Burton, but the childhood Power fan’s initial disbelief quickly transitioned into excitement.
"It’s been absolutely (a whirlwind) for Burton, obviously the initial emotion (for him) was shock," Pask told AFL.com.au on Wednesday.
"We only re-signed with Hawthorn in July last year, but the exciting thing is now once we got through the challenges of the time difference and being able to speak to him … he got excited over the past few days.
"It got to the point in the early hours of this morning where he was really happy and excited to join Port.
"Excited because he barracked for them as a kid, and he obviously gets to go home now and be surrounded by friends and family and continue his AFL dream by playing footy for Port."
Burton was last week left shocked after he received a call from his management to inform him the Hawks wanted to trade him to Alberton despite two years to run on his contract.
Port Adelaide this week confirmed it was the Hawks that first raised Burton's name as a possible trade with Wingard requesting a move to the Hawks.
Hawthorn's footy manager Graham Wright said Wingard was the club's No.1 priority.
"We're rapt, Chad was our prime target," Wright said.
"He can go through the midfield … he's a dual All Australian, a genuine A-grade talent so it was really important to get him in.
"Losing Ryan isn't great but he's a fine young player and he's got a really good deal with Port and he'll be a good player for them."
The South Australian was this week put through a medical screening by Power medical staff in Las Vegas and given the green light to pursue a trade.
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Burton had been in regular contact in recent days with Power coach Ken Hinkley and assistant Michael Voss, both in the USA on a study trip.
Power players had also been in communication with Burton - including Hamish Hartlett – with the pair sharing a mutual connection after attending Sacred Heart College.
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With coach Alastair Clarkson in Ireland and his management based in Melbourne, Burton was forced to gather information across three time zones before coming to his decision.
"Port, to their credit, put forward a really good presentation for him and obviously flew a medical team over for him, who were conveniently in South Africa (and travelled to America)," Pask said.
"There are some great nuances to this story over the past four days.
"Port’s effort to get Ryan to Port Adelaide was outstanding."
The biggest queries for Port Adelaide heading into the medical testing centred around his left leg after he suffered a serious injury that derailed his top-age under-18 year.
Finishing runner-up in the 2017 NAB AFL Rising Star, Burton followed up his breakout year by playing 23 of a possible 24 games this season.
Burton will remain holidaying in America with a group of Hawthorn players, and his management ensured the trade wouldn’t impact any relationships with his former teammates.
"The Hawthorn leadership that are there have been outstanding and made sure Ryan’s welfare is looked after," Pask said.
"I think everyone understands and appreciates that there’s a Trade Period that lasts eight days for a reason; players move.
"I think that’s the key thing here is that my role in all this is just making sure Ryan comes out of it really well and he has."
| Team | Receives | Gives |
| Hawthorn | Chad Wingard, future third round (tied to Port Adelaide) | Ryan Burton, picks No.15, No.35, future fourth round |
| Port Adelaide | Ryan Burton, Sam Mayes, picks No.5, No.15, future fourth round | Chad Wingard, pick No.6, two future third round (one tied to Fremantle) |
| Brisbane | Picks No.6, No.35 and future third round (tied to Fremantle) | Sam Mayes, pick No.5 |
