JONATHAN O'Rourke can have an impact before he even plays a game next season, Hawthorn teammate Luke Breust believes.

O'Rourke was recruited from Greater Western Sydney during the recent NAB AFL Trade Period after he signalled his desire to return home to Victoria.

The former No.2 draft pick played nine games in two injury-interrupted seasons at the Giants and is likely to have to fight for senior matches at Hawthorn next year.

Breust said O'Rourke's push to break into the 22 will help drive the Hawks towards more success.

"I think that's what you need coming off a premiership, guys like that who continue to drive the group and push for spots and keep the guys who are already in the team on their toes," Breust told AFL.com.au.

O'Rourke's versatility to play on a flank or through the midfield is sure to appeal to coach Alastair Clarkson, who places high value on flexible footballers.

But the 20-year-old faces direct competition from a host of players who missed out on the Grand Final demolition of the Sydney Swans.

Jonathan Simpkin, Alex Woodward and Billy Hartung were on the fringes of the best 22 last year, while Brendan Whitecross and Jed Anderson will come back into calculations next season after overcoming long-term injuries.

"There's a number of guys there who could easily come in and fill a role. I think it can only be good for us that guys like that are at the club," Breust said.

"I think that played a huge role this year for us. Matt Spangher was huge in that, Matty Suckling, Taylor Duryea, Will Langford, even Ben McEvoy coming in first year for the club he hadn't tasted premiership success.

"You saw with Mitch Hallahan leaving (to Gold Coast), he just couldn't get an opportunity. It makes it hard.

"Taylor Duryea came on this year really strongly. Angus (Litherland) came in and played games as well, 'Woody' played a couple. So we have got a lot of depth there."

Despite earning selection as a half-forward in his first All Australian team this year, Breust also wants to push up the ground into the midfield mix more often.

The sharpshooter kicked 57.12 in 2014, but is keen to eradicate his quiet patches and to have a bigger impact on the ball next year.

"I had a reasonably consistent season but there was games where I was quiet towards the end of the year," he said.

"I was only kicking that one goal a game for probably a three or four week period. So just not having patches like that is one area.

"And then another would be to continue to work on my midfield craft and having more of an impact when I go in there.

"It can be a bit of a graveyard at half-forward. It can just be going over your head and if 'Roughie' (Jarryd Roughead) is marking it all the time you don't get involved.

"So to move up the ground, get in the midfield and have an impact up there, I think that's the next biggest step for me."