HOW LONG it takes Hawthorn to create chemistry in its new look line-up remains "the great unknown," according to coach Alastair Clarkson.

The four-time premiership coach said it was noticeable at times during last week's loss to Essendon that the four new Hawks – Jaeger O'Meara, Tom Mitchell, Tyrone Vickery and Ricky Henderson – clubs were uncertain about aspects of the team's ball movement.

A further four changes for round two, including the introduction of first-gamer Teia Miles, has added another layer to the Hawks changing flavour in 2017.

"There were just aspects of their game last week where they didn't really know fully what our ball movement patterns were despite performing really well in terms of getting the ball," Clarkson said.

The coach said he understood time was required and he was confident the four recruits would become good players at Hawthorn.   

"I don't know if it is going to take two weeks or 12 weeks [for the team to jell] but what I do know is that we're going to invest heavily in those guys and our younger guys too and we'll find a way to get ourselves some wins and be competitive again," Clarkson said.

Just 13 players from the Hawks' semi-final loss in 2016 will play against Adelaide at the MCG on Saturday.

Clarkson said the four players omitted – Ryan Schoenmakers, James Sicily, Taylor Duryea and Billy Hartung – had not performed well against Essendon but dropping them was a result of several weeks of below par form.

"We had four guys [dropped] and perhaps 10 or 12 others that just didn't perform to the level that we would have liked. That wasn't just a one-week thing. Usually form is a reflection of four or five weeks," Clarkson said.