Hawthorn veteran Grant Birchall will be a Lion in 2020, after deciding to join Brisbane next season.

According to Mitch Cleary on AFL Trade Radio, the Hawks offered Birchall just a rookie contract, with the 31-year-old opting to go and reunite with Chris Fagan at the Lions.

Birchall spoke to the Lions' website on Thursday, saying how excited he is to join.

โ€œIt happened reasonably quickly,โ€ he said.

โ€œIโ€™m excited to start something a bit different and get up there.

โ€œ[Chris Fagan] has done some really good things at the Lions over the last few years and they were really good to watch in 2019.

โ€œIโ€™m looking forward to playing under him and hopefully helping the guys go the next step in 2020.โ€