Hawk-turned-Magpie Tom Mitchell has spoken on his disappointing departure from Hawthorn, noting he didn't feel welcomed early into his final year with the club.

Mitchell has played 197 games at three clubs - Sydney, Hawthorn and now Collingwood, winning the 2018 Brownlow Medal as a Hawk before playing an influential role in Collingwood's 2023 premiership.

Speaking on the Ball Magnets podcast, Mitchell offered insight into his final year with the Hawks, revealing the moment he knew he didn't want to play for the club going forward.

"Certain things happened, they wanted me out," said Mitchell.

"One particular meeting on a game review I got barrelled, all five clips were on me and that was the meeting done. I walked out thinking are you serious, this is unprofessional, and unfair, from that point onwards I knew I wasn't coming back to Hawthorn next year. I didn't feel valued at all at Hawthorn.

"I remember I would come to the bench and it was all about how many centre bounce attendances I was at and how many I was allowed to go to. I was only allowed to go to eight or ten for the game.

"By the end of my time at Hawthorn, I'm thinking not how to get better or help the team to get better but thinking about how to get away from the ball and game, completely against everything I've ever done."

Mitchell said he understood that the AFL is a business and there isn't always much loyalty in footy, touching on how lucky he was to join Collingwood.

"Collingwood wanted me, not many other teams did," he said.

Mitchell said he's loving life at Collingwood, working under coach Craig McRae and closely bonding with the playing group.

"Regardless if we won, I'm just a much happier person where I am in life, it's a credit to 'Fly' (McRae), to be honest, and the players embracing me," he added.

Mitchell also shared the heartbreak of losing the 2016 Grand Final with the Sydney Swans and what he changed in 2023 to have such a successful year, playing 26 games for Collingwood.

"Saving my mental energy for game day. Also finding patches in the game, before the game, during the breaks to have a laugh or to take a moment to take in the atmosphere of the stadium which I have never done before this year," said Mitchell.

Mitchell said even though he has only been at Collingwood for one year, he considers himself a Pie for life now.