SYDNEY Swans defender Rhyce Shaw is disappointed his former teammate Dane Swan won't be lining up for Collingwood in Saturday night's blockbuster at ANZ Stadium.
Swan was suspended for two games on Tuesday for drinking last weekend, a breach of team protocol.
The Brownlow medallist had been in sparkling form for the Magpies, averaging almost 39 possessions and just under two goals per game over the past eight weeks.
The Swans could be excused for being happy the damaging midfielder won't be in the line-up for a showdown between two sides chasing a top-two berth, but Shaw said that is not the case.
"You'd probably say that, but on the other hand I'm actually really disappointed he's not playing, because we're a side that like challenges," said Shaw, who spent nine years at the 'Pies before being traded in 2008.
"The challenge of playing Collingwood with their best players, you can't get any better than that.
"We wanted to really test ourselves against the best and Collingwood with 'Swanny' are the best.
"But you just take whatever comes to you and we'll just have to go out there and play the way we want to play."
Shaw has been in outstanding form himself this season, playing a pivotal role in the AFL's stingiest defensive unit.
The ladder-leading Swans are conceding just over 69 points per game this season, considerably better than next best sides Fremantle (76.7) and Hawthorn (78.6).
The leader of the defensive line is Ted Richards, a player who once struggled to hold down a spot at both Essendon and the Swans, but now finds himself in All Australian calculations.
Shaw believes both Richards and his key defensive cohort Heath Grundy would be deserving of higher honours.
"Definitely. There's no doubt," Shaw said of Richards.
"What I see first-hand every week is a guy who goes about his job in a professional manner and he's been fantastic for us.
"He hardly ever gets beaten. I don't think he's been beaten this year, and even if someone gets on top of him, he'll fight and do something else to help the side.
"Him and Heath have been a fantastic duo, taking on the Buddy Franklins and Jarryd Rougheads.
"This week they'll have [Chris] Dawes and [Travis] Cloke and I really think Teddy, if not both Teddy and Heath, should get All Australian."
Rather than a traditional back six, the Swans utilise a back seven, with Shaw, Richards and Grundy joined by Nick Smith, Marty Mattner, Nick Malceski and Alex Johnson.
And Shaw says the group hasn't achieved anything yet.
"The job is only half done," he said.
"We haven't even played finals yet, we're not guaranteed top four; even though there's only four games left, there's a long way to go.
"It's so tight all over the ladder and you can't afford to look too far ahead.
"We dropped a game against Richmond we were really confident we'd win and they absolutely smacked us.
"Anything can happen at any stage and we have to be really switched on and we will be on the weekend."
James Dampney covers Sydney AFL news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_JD
