Giants veteran Heath Shaw has spoken out about his ugly departure from Collingwood, confirming that he and ex-coach Nathan Buckley no longer hold a relationship.
The former premiership Magpie was traded from the Holden Centre at the end of 2013 to GWS for hard-nosed midfielder Taylor Adams, and Shaw claims he was "pushed out" of the club.
โI was definitely pushed out and I didnโt really want to go, didnโt see myself ever leaving Collingwood but it was the best thing I ever did,โ Shaw said on Fox Footyโsย On the Mark.
โThere wasnโt relationships there with certain people, which is part of the reason why I had to go. And I think it was the best thing for me and the club.
โHave I mended those relationships? No, thereโs certain people that I wonโt and I donโt want to.โ
Asked if one of those strained relationships was with Buckley, Shaw confirmed:ย โYeah. I wouldnโt ring him up and say hello and I donโt know if Iโd answer his call if he rang me.
โItโs just something โ you canโt get along with everyone. Iโm probably not his cup of tea and heโs probably the same.
โNo (it doesnโt make me sad). Nah it doesnโt, it doesnโt. There would be people at Collingwood around the time that I was there that probably didnโt like me and vice versa.
โItโs just the way it is.โ
The 32-year old has taken a lot out of his move to the Giants and says it has helped shape his maturation as a person.
โItโs gotten more and more as Iโve got older, that sort of deep thinker, a bit more emotional, a bit more caring,โ he said.
โI think if youโre close to me then you understand that.
โWhen I played at Collingwood, you either hate Collingwood or you love Collingwood. I think Iโm sort of the same โ you either hate me or you love me.
โAs Iโve got older Iโve sort of matured bit โ I wouldnโt say a heap, but a bit โ and I do genuinely care for people and I care for the club and I want to see this club succeed, I want to see players succeed.โ
Shaw has been one of the Giants' best pickups since the club joined the league in 2012, and the dual All-Australian has a strong appreciation for his time there.
โThe Giants people up here โ theyโre great,โ he said.
โThey took me in, a semi-reject from Collingwood. Iโve been here for five years.โ
