Heath Shaw’s 300th game should be celebrated but there’s a game GWS must win first, Mick McGuane writes

Heath Shaw will play his 300th career game but while the milestone is one that should be celebrated, GWS can’t get caught up in the moment. Mick McGuane reveals why.

Heath Shaw will play his 300th game this weekend. Picture: Toby Zerna

Heath Shaw’s 300 game milestone is something to celebrate and it’s right to salute — and the pun here is intended — a Giant of the game.

We’ll get on to why he’s proved such an enduring figure but there’s a game of footy to be played here. A huge game.

The Giants want to get into that top four spot again while Port are ninth, a win outside the eight, and need the win to keep their finals hopes alive.

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There’s an old saying in sport and it’s ‘play the match, not the occasion’.

You don’t see many better first quarter performances than the one the Giants put together against Collingwood but they can’t get caught up in that. And with Heath, celebrate the milestone but it’s important the players stay in a measured and controlled state as opposed to an over the top frenzy in their collective endeavour to secure a win for their respected champ.

Heath Shaw will play his 300th game this weekend. Picture: Toby Zerna

BEATING TRAVEL SICKNESS

Port Adelaide will be a hostile environment and it’s not going to be easy for the Giants.

Coach Leon Cameron will have been telling his charges all week to ensure that they must be ready, both physically and mentally, to accept what a ruthless and determined Port will throw at them. Port’s season is on the line and they’ll come out firing.

The Giants are four and six on the road (including the defeat by Fremantle in Canberra).

Its average losing margin in those six games is 27 points. To be judged a top four team, they have to change that losing average and it must start on Saturday night.

The Giants don’t have the best travel record this season. Picture: Getty

THE KEY TO VICTORY

Both Port and the Giants are fantastic clearance teams. Port are ranked first, Giants second for clearance differential.

I think who applies the most pressure on the opposition to force mistakes and create turnovers could prove pivotal to the contest. Why do I say that? Because both teams fail to have the profile of the best teams in the competition when it comes to scoring from turnovers. The Giants are ranked 15th in the comp and Port are 16th.

So you can’t purely rely on scoring from stoppage alone. You’ve got to have a far better balance in your game. And I’m firmly of the opinion having a strong turnover game is far more sustainable to having a strong stoppage clearance game to generate score.

So whichever team masters this aspect of the game will deserve the four points.

Lachie Whitfield is in hot form. Picture: Getty

THE MILESTONE MAN

We’ve talked about playing the match not the occasion but it’s absolutely right to acknowledge a tremendous achievement.

I reckon Heath Shaw is the classic case of someone misunderstood. I think the media stuff, the jokes and the like are external character traits.

What we have here is a professional who prepares thoroughly, looks after his diet, gets the maximum out of his training and is a super competitor. You don’t survive this long if you’re not. He brings some light and shade to the room. In game, he’s probably perceived as an angry-ant but that’s driven by the desire to win. There’s nothing wrong with that. He’s a person I’d want to play with, always in pursuit of victory. You know what you’re going to get from him. He demands excellence and has a high expectations of others.

If you fall below the standards he demands, expect to cop some verbals from him. I love that.

Great inner strength.

A football Giant.

Originally published as Heath Shaw’s 300th game should be celebrated but there’s a game GWS must win first, Mick McGuane writes