Keegan Brooksby makes his way to the rooms after a WAFL game in 2019. Picture: AFL Photos

JOURNEYMAN ruckman Keegan Brooksby has secured another career lifeline.

AFL.com.au revealed Hawthorn's imminent signing of the ex-Sun and Eagle on Thursday, including him undergoing medical testing – and he is now officially a Hawk.

All of Brooksby's 14 senior games were played at Gold Coast between 2015 and 2017.

Given dual premiership ruckman Ben McEvoy's move to defence and fellow big man Marc Pittonet's switch to Carlton, Hawthorn was wary of its ruck depth entering the season.

The Hawks' ruck stocks had consisted of only No.1 big man Jon Ceglar, who committed for three more seasons last year after rejecting Brisbane's advances, and 208cm project player Ned Reeves.

Jonathon Ceglar will take over the No.1 ruck duties at Hawthorn this year. Picture: AFL Photos

Hawthorn football boss Graham Wright: "Keegan is a durable and high-quality state league player and has experience at the elite level.

"He's a mature ruckman known for his work-rate and professionalism, and we're really happy to have him at the club."

The Hawks trialled former Western Jet Darcy Cassar in January and ex-St Kilda small forward Darren Minchington up until this week before the latter was told he wouldn't be required.

This is the second time in as many years the 197cm Brooksby was picked up in the pre-season supplemental selection period (SSP), after joining West Coast that way ahead of last season.

He remained in the WAFL for all of last season without adding to his AFL games tally, winning the Eagles' best and fairest at the lower level before being delisted.

Brooksby had committed to return to his home club South Adelaide in the SANFL again for 2020, just as he did ahead of last year before signed with West Coast.

South Adelaide is seething about losing another player to the AFL at an inopportune time, after Brooksby (twice) and Hayden McLean (Sydney) left in the SSP and Michael Knoll was a mid-season draftee.

There was financial compensation in place last year in those circumstances for state league clubs but the AFL has now formalised the process.

Teams that lose a player in the SSP receive $10,000 compensation, while the figure jumps to $15,000 if one of their footballers is picked up in the mid-season draft.