After picking up unrestricted free agent James Frawley on Monday, the Hawks have now added talented midfielder Jonathan O’Rourke to the list after striking a deal with the GWS Giants.
The Hawks traded their first round pick, number 19 overall and pick 40 for O'Rourke and pick 43 from the Giants.
A classy user of the ball, O’Rourke was taken with pick 2 in the 2012 National Draft after an exceptional season for Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup.
A player with good endurance and who has no trouble finding the footy, O’Rourke is known best for his decision making, particularly in traffic and his speed and endurance.
His first season with the Giants was ruined by hamstring injuries and then a broken jaw, resulting in him being restricted to just one senior appearance in Round 16.
He had better luck this season, playing eight games for the Giants.
His best performance came against North Melbourne in Round 20, when he picked up a career-high 21 disposals.
O’Rourke showed the attributes for which he was drafted when playing for the UWS Giants in the NEAFL, averaging 25.3 disposals in 10 games at the second-tier level.
One of his most impressive performances there was a 32 disposal and six clearance effort in the win over Gold Coast’s reserves at Blacktown.
Who is he?
Jonathan O'RourkePosition: Midfielder
Height: 188cm
Weight: 78kg
DOB: 21 April 1994
Recruited from: GWS. Drafted from: Calder Cannons/Gisborne Rookies
What the Hawks say: “Jonathan is a versatile midfielder with excellent ball use, can play inside and out and has a good combination of speed and endurance.
“We’re very confident he will develop into an important part of our team in the future.” – Hawks Recruiting and List Manager, Graham Wright.
What they say: “He is a smart midfielder who kicks it well, has clean hands, and the ability to do his best work late in games due to his endurance. O'Rourke compares himself to Scott Pendlebury.” – AFL National Talent Manager, Kevin Sheehan before the 2012 National Draft.
Jonathan O’Rourke 2014 stats
AFLGames: 8
Disposals: 94 (11.7 average)
Contested possessions: 27 (3.4)
Clearances: 8 (1.0)
Disposal efficiency: 75.5 per cent
Marks: 22 (2.7)
Tackles: 11 (1.4)
Inside 50s: 12 (1.5)
Goals: 0
NEAFL
Games: 10
Disposals: 253 (25.3 average)
Contested possessions: 89 (8.9)
Clearances: 37 (3.7)
Disposal efficiency: 73.9 per cent
Marks: 57 (5.7)
Tackles: 30 (3.0)
Inside 50s: 36 (3.6)
Goals: 1
2013 stats
NEAFLGames: 11
Disposals: 219 (19.9 average)
Contested possessions: 86 (7.8)
Clearances: 37 (3.4)
Disposal efficiency: 71.7 per cent
Marks: 38 (3.5)
Tackles: 22 (2.0)
Inside 50s: 34 (3.1)
Goals: 5
