HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson has put his hand up to accept some of the blame for out-of-sorts swingman Tim O'Brien's difficult season.

The Hawks dumped the 24-year-old to the VFL this week for the fourth time this season – and all since he played the opening eight matches of the year. 

O'Brien, who is contracted until the end of 2019, hasn't appeared in more than two games in a row in that period, struggling as Hawthorn plugged him into various roles.

The 193cm South Australian played a career-high 16 games last year and booted 19 goals, emerging as a strong-marking, accurate-kicking key forward capable of performing back-up ruck duties.

But O'Brien spent much of the summer developing his defensive craft and has played all three roles this season. 

"We haven't been kind to him, in a sense, selection-wise. We've had to use him in a whole heap of different roles," Clarkson said on Friday. 

"He started the season down back, then we lost (Ryan) Schoenmakers and we needed to play him as a key forward for a bit, then Jonny Ceglar didn't come up early in the year, so we needed to use him as the second ruck. 

"Then two weeks ago Jack Gunston was a late withdrawal and we played him down back. 

"We probably just need to stabilise him in one position, which will help him. He's a player that's been around a bit, but he's still a young player trying to find his way and consolidate a spot." 

O'Brien's statistics are down almost across the board from last year.

Clarkson said he would attempt to settle the 46-gamer in one position in the coming weeks. 

"Some kids just need continuity and stability and we're disappointed we've been unable to do that," the coach said.

"The team's required him to be used in a whole heap of positions and I don't think that's helped him all that much. 

"Having said that, he's still got a responsibility to try and play those roles as best he can when he can and gets the opportunity, but he hasn't done that to the level.

"That's why he's found himself in and out of the side, and that's unfortunate, but we'll keep working with 'TO' and see where it goes over the next few weeks." 

O'Brien played only four games across his first three seasons after being the No.28 draft pick in 2012, but has made double-digit senior appearances in each of the last three.