Australian Football

In 1973, Ray Shaw joined Preston, the club for which his father Reg had played briefly in the 1950s, and proved an immediate and resounding success. Best afield or near best afield in almost every match for the year, he won both the Bullants' best and fairest award, and the Liston Trophy as the season's pre-eminent performer in the VFA. 

Clubs in the VFL were quick to take notice, and few people were surprised when the 1974 season saw him lining up with Collingwood. Over the ensuing eight seasons he compiled 146 senior games with the Magpies, and kicked precisely 200 goals, proving himself in the process to be one of the most damaging rovers in the league. He won a Copeland Trophy as Collingwood's best and fairest player in 1978, was club skipper in 1979-80, and played interstate football for the VFL in 1979. 

When Collingwood dropped him in 1981 he decided to return to Preston at the end of the year, and was promptly appointed as the club's captain-coach for 1982. Two years later he enjoyed long overdue premiership success when, playing his usual authoritative game in the centre, he steered the Bullants to a resounding 54-point first division Grand Final win over Frankston. It proved to be the last of his 87 senior games for the club.

After leaving Preston, Shaw enjoyed success as a coach in suburban football before returning to the VFA as captain-coach of Waverley in 1986. He remained with the Panthers for two seasons, leading them to a losing Grand Final against Prahran in 1987. His form as a player was consistently good, and he finished equal fourth in the voting for the Field Trophy in his second year.

Author - John Devaney