Heath Shaw is set to stay at Collingwood

HEATH Shaw has pledged his long-term commitment to Nathan Buckley's cause, despite frustrations about his on-field role this season.

HEATH Shaw has pledged his long-term commitment to Nathan Buckley's cause, despite frustrations about his on-field role this season.

Shaw, 27, has been restricted to full-back at times this year and clashed verbally on-field with his coach and captain Nick Maxwell.

Shaw said the deep defensive role was not "the greatest position" but took it as a compliment the opposition wanted to negate his damaging run-and-carry style.

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Rumours have swirled that Shaw, regarded as one of the game's most dangerous running defenders, could be open to a trade.

But the popular defender quashed any prospect of leaving the club, saying the changes Buckley had made as coach since taking over from Michael Malthouse two years ago had helped reinvigorate Collingwood.

"It's pretty clear-cut for me. I'm a Collingwood man and I've got two more years here if the body holds up," Shaw told the Herald Sun.

"Obviously the conversations I've had with 'Bucks' in the (heat of the) moment on the ground is similar to what I said about 'Maxy' - it's all for the benefit of the team. Sometimes I get worked up if things aren't going well and I show it because I'm passionate about the club and passionate about winning.

"It's something I've tried to work on controlling for the past 10 years but it hasn't worked at all.

"So I don't think it's going to be changing any time soon."

The 172-gamer, who looms as a potential match-up for Port Adelaide danger man Chad Wingard in Saturday night's second elimination final, said ideally he would like to spend more time up field.

"Tooves (Alan Toovey) going out (injured) earlier in the year and being dragged to the goal square a bit more, I've had to adjust to that," Shaw said.

"It's tough at times, especially when the ball is up the other end the whole time and then when it's coming down in at one million miles an hour it's even tougher, so it's not the greatest position.

"But this year I've played it a fair bit and just dealt with it how I can.

"I love to be involved, I love to have the ball in my hands.

"But as long as I'm doing my bit for the team is all that matters."

The premiership backman said he was on board with the new cultural and on-field standards Buckley was trying to drive after taking over from Michael Malthouse two years ago.

"Definitely new areas have been explored with a different game style and game structures and obviously a different set-up to the way we go about things," he said.

"You can get into a routine, you can get a bit numb in that routine, so to mix it up a bit is good for an older guy like me. It keeps you on your toes, as well.

"It's sort of been an up-and-down season, but it's finals and we are ready to go."