Heath Shaw's shunning demonstrates Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley's tighter reins

COLLINGWOOD won the 2010 flag on the back of a certain degree of scallywag. But there is no doubt new coach Nathan Buckley has tightened the leash.

Nathan Buckley

COLLINGWOOD won the 2010 flag on the back of a certain degree of scallywag.

Then, coach Mick Malthouse gave leeway to certain players, whose gang name was the Brat Pack, which has since been acknowledged by Scott Pendlebury.

Pendlebury, in a Herald Sun column, said "some players" had been using "a longer leash" from the coach.

Under Nathan Buckley, that leash has tightened considerably.

Heath Shaw wasn't selected for last Friday's clash against Sunday because of increased skinfolds.

Here were the Pies facing the Swans at the 'G, a big match, needing run and dare to break through the Swans' strangulation, and Shaw is left out of the team.

It was a bold statement by the coach.

In effect, what Buckley declared was, no matter who they were or what they'd done previously, if a player wasn't professional with their preparation, they would not get a game.

It is central to Buckley's cultural change under Leading Teams, which he introduced to the club at the end of the 2012 season.

Last year, he and the leadership group banned Sharrod Wellingham and Dane Swan for two weeks each for late-night socialising.

This time, Shaw was banned for expanding skinfolds.

The coach probably knew it diminished his team's chances of beating the premiers, but laying down the law, in this case, would be for the greater good.

Already, Buckley has flagged an "evolution" at the Magpies and while that clearly points to a turnover in the playing ranks, he is also about evolving attitudes.

Why Shaw reported for duty in an unfit state only Shaw can explain.

From afar, it's either wrong food, wrong drink or lack of training.

Maybe a combination of all three.

He was suffering a disc problem, which has affected his hamstring and which is understood to have a required an epidural last Friday, but is almost certain to play against the Lions on Friday night.

Buckley's tone yesterday was firm.

"We feed back to our players constantly about their professionalism and expectations and our values ... guys are relentless the way they go about it and every one of our players is accountable to that."

Aged 27, Shaw, as he has had to before, learned another lesson.