Look, I have a huge amount of respect for the Phantom drafters, but they're not exactly an official source
Not sure why you would have highlighted their claim that he has a lovely kick since this is very obviously a weakness of Shaw's.Like I said, Shaw was good enough in terms of agility and pace to play midfield at junior level. Just like Davis did. Just like Otten did. Just like so many other tall players did. Hell, I think Rendell dropped the "he's done some of his best work in the juniors as a midfielder!" about every tall he recruited onto our list. My memory might be playing tricks on me but I reckon I even heard him say it about Will Young once! That doesn't mean that they're going to play midfield at AFL level.
How often do we see players display sensational league form in the ruck, when you know they're not going to be playing that role at AFL level? But when watching them play ruck at league level you can still gain some insight as to how they might perform, in a different role, at AFL level. Ditto key position forwards who lack the height to play that role at AFL level, but are good enough to dominate at league level. Recruiters will pick them up based on that form, but they won't expect them to play that role at AFL level. They'll expect them to transfer that ability to another role that suits them better.
Shaw will not be a midfielder at AFL level. He has some decent midfield traits, but he's not going to be a midfielder at AFL level. Assume he can get his body right (and yes, he is definitely injury-prone) he will play as a tall defender, and will do it very well. I reckon he and Otten can both play in the same side.
