Heath Shaw to run out for Wallan in one-off appearance in Riddell District

Collingwood premiership star Heath Shaw will don the black and white stripes again when he runs out for Wallan on Saturday. Here’s how to happened.

Heath Shaw in action for Glenorchy. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Wallan will trot out an AFL premiership star for its top-five battle against Kyneton on Saturday.

Collingwood and GWS Giants great Heath Shaw will make a guest appearance for the Magpies at Greenhill Reserve.

Boom off-season recruit Chris Stewart helped facilitate Shaw’s recruitment, the pair having played together at East Keilor.

Shaw is the second Collingwood premiership player to grace the Riddell District in as many seasons, following Dane Swan’s match for Western Rams last year.

Wallan has had a 39 guernsey made for the match and coach Daniel Nolan expects the 38-year-old to slot onto a half-back flank.

Heath Shaw in action for East Keilor. Picture: Hamish Blair

“There’s a bit of a connection with a few players, particularly Chris Stewart, who played with him at East Keilor,” Nolan said.

“We haven’t actually got a 39 in the seniors so it’s worked out well.

“The club ordered the 39 (jumper), it aligned with Heath’s program and we’re looking forward to a big game.

“Heath will play down back and we might throw him into the midfield as well.

“We’re looking forward to having someone at Wallan who’s played 320 AFL games, two All-Australians and obviously won the premiership at Collingwood.

“The advice and leadership we’re going to gain from him and he’s going to come back later in the year in the lead-up to finals and have a chat to our players about what it takes.”

At the half-way mark of the campaign, the clash could be season-defining for both clubs.

Wallan sits fourth on percentage and a win would see it move three games clear of the Tigers in fifth, while a Kyneton victory would push it back into double chance calculations.

Wallan is the last club to face the league newcomers, who have a 3-4 record.

Nolan said the Tigers were still an unknown commodity but had gotten to know some of their key players through the league’s inter-league team which he coached.

“It’s a big game against Kyneton, they’re still a bit of an unknown,” Nolan said.

“They’re new to the competition and in the top-five, it’s a big game for us because the ladder it’s tight.

“I was lucky enough to spend some time with their coach Ethan Foreman during the inter-league, he’s amazing the way he reads the game and communicates and as a playing coach he’s got them tracking well.

“They’re got a star down back in (Harrison) Huntley and Josh Smith I know from his Greenvale days, he’s a mid-season recruit they’ve got.”

After an up-and-down start to the season, which saw it lose to Romsey and Riddell and knock off Diggers Rest, Wallan is now riding a four-game winning streak.

The Magpies went into the King’s Birthday weekend bye on the back of a 59-point win over Lancefield and 58-point triumph over preliminary final nemesis Woodend-Hesket.

A blockbuster month follows the Kyneton clash with matches against Riddell, Romsey, Diggers Rest and Woodend-Hesket.

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Nolan hopes a big crowd comes out to see Shaw and support all three grades.

“We’re going OK, we’ve won four games in a row, so we’ve got some momentum,” he said.

“Hopefully we can get a big crowd and support, our 19s and reserves are in the top-two, so it’s a big day for the club.”

The match at Greenhill Reserve kicks off at 2.15pm.