HAVING to play on star forwards Drew Petrie, Jeremy Cameron, Jesse Hogan and Lance Franklin in consecutive games would be a torrid month for most key defenders.

But for oft-maligned Hawthorn swingman Ryan Schoenmakers, it could be the opportunity to re-launch his career.

For the first time since round 23 last year, the 195cm Hawk has been called up to reinforce a backline ravaged by injuries to its first-choice defenders.

Schoenmakers will play his first game at any level for three weeks against North Melbourne on Saturday night, and he faces a sizeable challenge helping to combat Petrie (197cm), Ben Brown (200cm) and Jarrad Waite (194cm), especially given he trained as a forward over pre-season.

But the scenario won't be entirely unfamiliar for the 24-year-old.

In round 16 last season, Schoenmakers was swung mid-game from attack into a backline mix – including Lake, Josh Gibson and Ben Stratton – which was struggling to contain North's three-pronged attack.

In a 20-point upset, Petrie, Brown and out-of-favour Aaron Black combined for nine marks inside 50, five contested grabs and 5.2 on a frenetic Friday night.

But this time around, with Lake (knee) joining Hawks teammates James Frawley (pectoral) and Matt Spangher (hamstring) on the sidelines, more expectation will be lumped on 91kg Schoenmakers' shoulders.

Having been criticised for defensive vulnerability in the past and viewed by many as a more natural forward, can Schoenmakers step up and become the Hawks' next reliable key backman?

In 2014, his occasionally shaky performances were mitigated by his comeback from a knee reconstruction.

Deployed in his swingman role, Schoenmakers played 66 per cent of his 15 games in defence in 2014, according to Champion Data.

He lost 27.5 per cent of direct contests with his opponent – placing him in the bottom 10 of the 31 players who defended at least 50 contests.

Up forward, he won just one of his 14 one-on-one contests. Schoenmakers also conceded 20 free kicks, whilst only winning four.

But the month ahead could be his chance to show the fruits of what club insiders say has been an impressive pre-season from the South Australian product.

After North, the Hawks' backline faces in-form Giants' spearheads Cameron (11 goals) and Cam McCarthy (13), boom Demons youngster Hogan (eight), plus Sydney Swans' twin towers Franklin (13) and Kurt Tippett (five).

Amidst those challenges there's a golden opportunity.

Having turned down the chance to be traded last October after Frawley's arrival, Schoenmakers is set to fall out of contract at season's end, and if he can string together some strong performances, his market value could skyrocket.

If his preference is to remain at Waverley, as seems most likely, then he could position himself as the next in line when 33-year-old Lake eventually hangs up the boots.

On Friday, coach Alastair Clarkson hailed Schoenmakers as "a big part of the fabric of this footy club", adding that Schoenmakers "sees that (Hawthorn) is where his future is".

After just four rounds, Schoenmakers has the chance he's been waiting for. Now he needs to grab it.