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Giants' back Heath Shaw is looking forward to setting a family record of 314 AFL/VFL games this weekend and passing the mark set by his uncle Tony.
Veteran GWS defender Heath Shaw is relishing taking over the footy bragging rights in his famous family.
On Sunday, the 34-year-old back will log his 314th AFL game, eclipsing his uncle and 1990 Collingwood premiership captain Tony Shaw, who retired in 1994.
"He's held on to this record for a very, very long time, it's his last saving grace, so he will be a bit upset on the weekend, but I'm sure he's happy to hand it over to me"' Heath Shaw said on Thursday.
Asked what perks being the games' record holder for the clan brought, Heath said being able to sit at the head of the family table and do most of the talking.
"That responsibility has been handed to me now and I'm looking forward to that, because I do enjoy listening to myself talk," Shaw joked.
A premiership winner with Collingwood in 2010, Shaw has played into a 16th season to try to be part of the Giants' first flag-winning team.
"That's the reason why I came back this year," said Shaw who was playing AFL before the Giants even existed.
"If that doesn't happen this year, then it might be next year (I) go again. That's a discussion for later in the year, in the off-season.
The Giants' campaign is back on track after successive wins over Collingwood and Hawthorn, although they face stiff tests against early-season pacesetters Port Adelaide and Brisbane over the next two rounds.
Slicker ball movement has galvanised the side after losses to North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs in their first two games after the competition's resumption.
"We were a bit stagnant in our first two games and found it a little bit harder to score," Shaw said.
"That ball movement side of it definitely has played a part, but also winning the contest in the middle and getting it going our way."
In his seventh season with GWS, Shaw would be happy to see the grand final played in Sydney if it had to be moved, should the coronavirus pandemic prevent it being staged in front of a crowd at the MCG.
"It's a phenomenal occasion playing a grand final at the MCG, but if it means for a year it gets changed to go somewhere else, then so be it, and I think Sydney is a great place to have it," Shaw said.
With the changing and challenging conditions faced this season by the AFL community, Shaw has been inspired by a documentary on martial arts legend Bruce Lee, which emphasises the need to be like water and adapt to different circumstances.
