Rhyce Shaw was inducted into the Swans Hall of Fame in 2025.
Rhyce Shaw
2009-2015
143 games
24 goals
Premiership Player 2012
Bio
When Rhyce Shaw arrived in Sydney at the end of 2008, his new senior coach picked him up from the airport. The Swans’ recruit described that welcoming experience as ‘a pretty special feeling’.
Under Paul Roos, the Swans had developed a club culture that was the envy of the League. Shaw felt he’d been given a lifeline and committed to making the most of the opportunity.
He did that and more. So much more.
The eldest son of former Collingwood captain Ray Shaw and the nephew of Tony and Neville, Rhyce was drafted to the Magpies as a father/son selection in 1999. Four years later, his brother Heath joined too. As a junior player at Diamond Creek and Preston Knights, Shaw battled chronic fatigue syndrome, and just as he embarked on his AFL career, a broken collarbone set him back.
But, through it all, that trademark Shaw determination shone through, and he debuted against Hawthorn in Round 16, 2000. It wasn’t until 2003, though, that Shaw became a regular in Mick Malthouse’s Collingwood side, playing 19 games, including the club’s losing Grand Final to Brisbane.
Shaw built a reputation for speed and energy during his 94 games in black and white. His trajectory shifted in 2005, though, when a dreaded anterior cruciate ligament injury ended what was shaping up to be a standout year. After a turbulent 2008 season, Shaw was traded to Sydney for a third-round pick.
Mixed emotions followed, as Shaw described, “Everyone knows I’ve had a tough time at Collingwood, and I need a fresh start. They respect the fact I’ve got to do the best thing for me and my football.”
“On the other hand, it creates a bit of history. I think I’m the only Shaw to ever play somewhere other than Collingwood. It’s a bit of a change, but Mum hasn’t stopped crying.”
From the moment Roos picked him up, Shaw became a Blood. The Swans, entering a period of rejuvenation following the 2005 flag, needed speed. Kinnear Beatson recruited Shaw, and Roos outlined a clear and specific role, encouraging him to play with flair.
Shaw’s first season in Sydney, 2009, was quite simply outstanding, finishing second in the Bob Skilton Medal. In The Rise of the Swans, Martin Blake wrote, “The Swans had used him on the switch, getting the football to him in space and letting him run with it. He became a dangerous quarterback-style player, improving his decision-making and kicking with the confidence he found.”
In addition to his on-field contributions, Shaw earned the universal respect of both the playing and coaching groups. At season’s end, he earned a place among the Swans’ leadership group, impressing through his work ethic, team play and naturally upbeat nature.
The admiration flowed both ways, as Shaw explained, “I think since I have got up here, I have learnt how to work hard and what footy is all about and what it all means to a football club, and this football club is the greatest football club I have ever been involved with.”
In 2010, following a temporary dip in form, Shaw displayed his versatility when Roos switched him to a forward role. He attributed the success of the move to the unwavering confidence and belief of Sydney’s coaching staff.
The mix of that coaching group changed in 2011. Roos handed the reins to John Longmire, his longtime assistant. While the transition proved reasonably seamless, Longmire leaned on his leaders and senior players, as all fledgling senior coaches do. Shaw, part of an exciting group of running half-backs that included Nick Malceski, Marty Mattner and Tadhg Kennelly, provided the bounce necessary for Longmire’s tweaks in game style.
Shaw’s impact on the group is highlighted not only by another runner-up best and fairest placing but also by his selection as the recipient of the 2011 Barry Round Best Clubman award. Ahead of the 2012 season, the team’s blend of youth and experience struck just the right balance.
Critical to that connection was Shaw, as fellow Swans Hall of Famer Kieren Jack explained: “Rhyce is probably the greatest teammate that I’ve played with. He’s the most selfless teammate that I’ve played alongside and the most passionate in getting the best out of his teammates.”
“Rhyce has been through a lot on and off the field and has great emotional intelligence. For the young guys who might’ve been struggling with something, he’d been there. He’s never been afraid to share his thoughts, and he has a genuinely empathetic nature, allowing him to connect on any level. It’s a rare trait that he’s got, and that’s why he’s universally loved. He’s just a great person.”
The Swans played a season full of committed, united football, and they surged into the 2012 AFL Grand Final against Hawthorn. Following the epic 10-point premiership win, Shaw told The Age, “It’s fantastic. It’s the greatest day of my life. I can’t speak any more highly of this football club. It’s changed my life around. Not just my footy, but my life.”
“I’ve played 13 years and copped a lot. It doesn’t really matter now. I’m a premiership player like my brother, and it’s the best feeling in the world. Me and Heath did it for dad. He showed us the way. He’s been the best old man, never got in the way at all, just let us be who we wanted to be.”
Heath joined Rhyce in the jubilant Swans’ rooms, and the celebrations were long and hard. Years later, premiership teammate Ted Richards revealed that Shaw picked up the bill for the club’s end-of-season drinks. According to Shaw, he was ‘due for a shout’.
A second knee reconstruction cruelly followed the premiership win, but Shaw returned in 2014 to play his 200th AFL game. Again, the Swans soared towards a Grand Final meeting with Hawthorn. This time, though, there would be no celebrating.
In fact, the heavy defeat prompted the playing group to meet and address the loss before departing for their off-season trips. Those in that meeting still recall Shaw’s impassioned, tearful speech as if it were yesterday. It healed wounds, it instilled resolve, and it sent a clear message to his teammates to persevere.
Partway through the 2015 campaign, Shaw announced his impending retirement, which eventually came after the Swans’ semi-final loss to North Melbourne. Longmire said, “Shawry’s impact as a leader has been immense, and so many young players over the years have developed under his guidance.”
“He is an incredibly popular figure amongst the entire playing group. Humble, loyal, selfless and very funny — he is just a great club man.”
Following his retirement, Shaw was appointed to the Sydney Swans coaching staff, where he took charge of the reserves and won the 2016 NEAFL Coach of the Year award. Two more years as an assistant to Longmire followed before he took his young family back to Melbourne. In 2019, Shaw became North Melbourne’s senior coach. Six years later, he made history when the Gold Coast Suns appointed him as the senior coach of its AFLW team — no coach had held the senior position in both competitions.
Shaw had a profound impact on the Sydney Swans during his 10 years at the club. A reliable, hardworking defender tasked with shutting down attacking threats while also driving the team forward, he played a pivotal role in one of the club’s most highly successful eras. All the while, he embraced the culture. Then, he enhanced it.
During his retirement speech at the 2015 Bob Skilton Medal count, Shaw reflected on his time in red and white: “I just want to thank everyone at the footy club. I just love playing footy, and that’s what’s made me play for 16 years.”
“If you dig in and persevere, put your best foot forward, it normally ends up alright. Thanks to the boys and thanks to the footy club, you’re a fantastic footy club. You’ve changed my whole life, and I can’t thank you enough."
