Trent Dumont speaks to media on December 6, 2021: Picture: AFL Digital

NEW PORT Adelaide player Trent Dumont says his North Melbourne delisting gave him 'a jolt' but finding his way across the border to the Power was well worth the wait.

After 113 games in eight seasons, Dumont, surprisingly, was denied a new contract by the Kangaroos at the end this home and away season, and the 2020 vice-captain had to wait until the NAB AFL Rookie Draft for his footy lifeline.

Dumont revealed joining Port - and returning to his home state of South Australia- was on his "horizon" in 2020 but said it didn't happen for various reasons.

Trent Dumont during a Port Adelaide training session on December 6, 2021. Picture: portadelaidefc.com.au

He said the split with North was an "amicable thing" and the club had forewarned him about a month before announcing it that he was being let go.

"The whole experience over the last week and a bit has been awesome and well worth the wait," Dumont told media on Monday.

"[But] I think naturally the process gives you a bit of a jolt."

While conceding the delisting "was definitely a kick up the bum", Dumont said he accepted it as part of the "rollercoaster of professional sport".

I didn't want to just come back and seem like I was relaxing. I wanted to come back and get the best out of myself and make this club get to the last game of the year and get a win there

- Trent Dumont

"I told them (the Kangaroos) I thought my best footy was elsewhere and in my heart of hearts I said I'd like to be back at Port Adelaide; so they were happy with that and how it finished, and so was I.

"[But] I still love a lot of people at North ... There are no ill feelings."

North said at the time of Dumont's delisting that "a couple of calf injuries at the start of this year" conspired against him, and Dumont revealed he had undergone off-season ankle surgery to fix a lingering leg issue.

He said he was keen to be a leader among his new teammates and take his game to "another level".

Trent Dumont leads the team off after the round nine win over Hawthorn at UTAS Stadium on May 15, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

"I've now just got to try be the best teammate I can be and try and get the best out of myself and help the club and each individual at the club," he said

He said he was keen to join Port because it was a "settled club" and had been really competitive for the last couple of years.

"Port has won a lot of football and played about one bad game of football this year and it happened to be in the prelim so that was huge.

"Just being home is important for me. I've got a big family that I love and a couple of health issues with my dad and my sister that made it more pressing with wanting to be back here.

"But I didn't want to just come back and seem like I was relaxing. I wanted to come back and get the best out of myself and make this club get to the last game of the year and get a win there."