Heath Shaw will put the boots on for East Keilor in the Essendon District Football League in 2021.
Shaw was not offered a contract by GWS at the conclusion of the 2020 season bringing down the curtain on a superb 17-year career.
The 35-year-old explained the connection that led to him signing with East Keilor.
“I’d been approached by a few clubs but the reason why I signed with East Keilor was a mate of mine coaches there, ‘Big Pat’, I’ve known him for over 10 years,” Shaw told SEN’s Bob and Andy.
“Funny story, me and a few of my fellow ‘Rat Pack’ friends went to his son’s 18th birthday party and everyone does their speeches and Pat was doing his speech and it was pretty average.
“So the boys convinced me to go up on stage and do a little spiel, so I’ve known Pat for a long time and he still to this day talks about how I kicked him off stage to do a speech at his son’s 18th.”
Shaw was hoping to travel overseas this year, but those plans were put on the backburner because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The plan actually wasn’t really to play at a local team at all this year,” the premiership Magpie said.
“It was more the overseas travel and go and enjoy life after football, but with circumstances the way they are at the moment and an opportunity to work along with Pat at East Keilor and his building and finance company as well, it was a bit of a no-brainer for me.
“It’s really flexible in terms of games and training and even the work side of it with his company. He’s also promised me that I don’t have to play half-back and the forward 50 is all mine.”
Shaw played 325 games for the Giants and Collingwood after debuting in 2005.