Heath Shaw

Born into Collingwood royalty, Heath Shaw joined the Magpies under the father-son rule as the son of former captain Ray Shaw and nephew of premiership skipper Tony Shaw. After developing through the reserves, he established himself as a tenacious rebounding defender capable of breaking lines and shutting down dangerous small forwards. A vital component of the 2010 premiership side, Shaw is perhaps best remembered at Collingwood for his desperate smother on Nick Riewoldt in the Grand Final Replay, a singular act of defensive will that epitomised the side's pressure. However, following a series of off-field incidents and a cultural shift under Nathan Buckley, Shaw was traded to Greater Western Sydney at the end of 2013.

Arriving at the Giants in exchange for Taylor Adams, Shaw was tasked with providing leadership to a talented but inexperienced list. He flourished in the new environment, elevating his game to become one of the most dominant accumulators in the competition across half-back. Renowned for his vocal on-field direction and elite disposal efficiency, he won the Kevin Sheedy Medal in 2015 and earned his second All-Australian selection. He remained a mainstay in the Giants' backline through their rise up the ladder, playing a key role in their run to the 2019 Grand Final before retiring in 2020 as a 325-game player who successfully bridged the gap between two distinct football generations.