HE IS one of the AFL's deadliest shots at goal, but Hawthorn sharpshooter Luke Breust admits he's finding it tough to come to grips with the round ball ahead of the looming Virgin Australia International Rules Series against Ireland.

Breust is preparing to represent Australia at Patersons Stadium on November 22 after being named in the All Australian team for the first time this year.

Renowned for his precise goalkicking – he booted 57.12 last season – the small forward also brings valuable pace and underrated defensive pressure to an Australian side keen to atone for convincing losses in the past two series.

Having limited experience with the round-ball game, Breust turned to Hawks teammate Liam Shiels, who has an Irish background and played IRS in 2011, for advice during a recent off-season trip to the US.

They practiced kicking a soccer ball in the States and since returning to his family's farm in the NSW Riverina this week, Breust has got his hands on the smaller but heavier Gaelic ball and has taken to the local rugby fields for a kick with some of his former schoolmates.

"Short kicks are OK. I've had a few shots at goal since I've been home here and that's a bit difficult – I'm not sure what technique to go with yet," Breust told AFL.com.au.

"I've tried a few around the corner. It can go straight up in the air or you can hit it too thin and it just goes along the ground or it goes pretty low. So I'm going to have keep practicing and work out what I'm going to go with.

"No doubt once we get into camp a few of the coaches will have ideas what to use and other players will have other techniques that might be better, so we'll see how we go."

According to Shiels, one of the biggest differences between the teams is the Irish players' ability to weight passes into space to teammates on the lead.

"I'm looking forward to seeing how good the Irish are at that," Breust said.

"At the same time, we've got a reasonably strong squad this year, so I'm really looking forward to playing with guys like Scotty Pendlebury, Joel Selwood and Nat Fyfe. It should be good."

Pulling on the Australian guernsey alongside Kieren Jack and Nick Smith will also be a nice moment for the 24-year-old Hawk, who played alongside the duo in the Sydney Swans reserves in 2007.

"If you had told me that (I would play for Australia) then, I would have laughed at you," Breust said.

"It's certainly been a good journey and I'm obviously very appreciative of the opportunity and I can't wait to play Ireland."