Universal Love Farewell Heater!

[Giant Strides]

The GIANTS will pay tribute to Heath Shaw with his seven seasons at the GIANTS coming to an end.

After playing 173 games for Collingwood, Shaw took his game to the next level in his 152 matches for the GIANTS which included All Australian honours in 2015 and 2016 and the Kevin Sheedy Medal in 2015. At the age of 34 and with 325 games behind him, the veteran defender has not been offered a new contract for the 2021 season.

Shaw has thanked the GIANTS for giving him the opportunity to rejuvenate and refresh a somewhat flamboyant character back in 2013. “If you’d told me 10 years ago that I’d be a life member, a club champion and two-time All Australian and have played off in a Grand Final at a club that didn’t exist a decade ago, I would have taken a leaf out of Darryl Kerrigan’s book and said 'tell ‘em they’re dreaming’,” said Shaw. “I don’t think an interview has gone past where I haven’t said how thankful I am to this club for a second chance, or told everyone how really special and unique this club is. I’m a competitive beast so I held onto the thought of another year with the GIANTS to try get us back to where we should be, but sometimes the decision is taken out of your hands which makes it easy.”

General Manager Football Jason McCartney praised Shaw for his longevity in the game. “Heath is an unbelievable competitor and has done a remarkable job to get himself up to play consistently over such a long period of time,” said McCartney. “He’s given absolutely everything he has to the GIANTS and indicated he wanted to play on, however we feel that the time is right for him to make way for the next generation.”

 

[Giant Strides]

Right call by the club, but damn am I going to miss the old reprobate!

The Heater of 2015 & 2016 was superb, and drove the development of our young team into the finals team of 2016-2019.

Thanks for your hard work, wonky running, yelling and gesticulating at other players, and sheer competitiveness Heater. We will miss you and your humour.

All the best with your next step in life.

 

[fridgeman]

He should be getting a few job offers if he misses out on a playing role with his competitiveness he should pick up a coaching role easily enough or in the media if he wants to take that road

 

[Callums_Guns]

Absolute champion on and off the field

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

This is the right call obviously, but part of me really wanted him to have 1 more year - another 22 games and he would have retired having played more games for us than the colliwobbles.

Oh, well, not to be.

Hope he sticks around as a development or assistant coach - he still have a truckload to give the younger players.

 

[LordLucifer]

I thought he started to show small signs of not being able to keep up with the pace of the game. It certainly was the right time for your club to part ways with him. You got great service from him too.