Kung fu star fires up Shaw’s final tilt
HEATH Shaw and his GWS teammates will “be water” in the ever-changing AFL landscape as the star veteran plays on in pursuit of another premiership.
On Sunday, Shaw, 34, will play his 314th game, surpassing uncle and Collingwood premiership captain Tony for the games record in the Shaw family, which shares a record total of 1052 games.
While the former Magpie was happy to take over “head of the table” duties at Shaw family functions, he said he only played on this season, his 16th, for one reason, to win a premiership with the Giants.
He dismissed any suggestion there should be an asterisk on the COVID-19 impacted season, which will see his team play Port Adelaide on the Gold Coast, evidence of the odd circumstances of the season.
But as he invoked a philosophy of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, Shaw said his team would adapt to whatever was thrown at it in search of Grand Final glory.
“That’s the thought process around everyone playing at the moment. We are not there to make up numbers. We don’t go out there just to play for the sake of it. The only reason I came back this year was to win a premiership,” he said.
“Whether the pandemic occurred or not, I want to win a Grand Final in what might be my last year.
“This year is a little bit different, but I’ve been watching a (documentary) on Bruce Lee, and the theory behind it is you just adapt to the environment that is.
“If you put water in a cup, the water becomes a cup, if you put water in a bucket, the water becomes the bucket … that’s how our week to week is.
“We just have to adapt to what’s coming at us and be water.
“You’ve just got to be water. You have to adapt to it and go with the flow.
“At the moment the Giants are going to be water.”
Adapting could include playing a Grand Final in Sydney, with ANZ Stadium touted as a venue should the COVID-19 situation in Victoria remain dire.
Shaw said he was a traditionalist, and the decider should always be played at the MCG. But this year could be one exception.
“I can’t see why not. If it means there’s going to be a crowd, then definitely,” he said.