Buddy not only No.23 in town

Heath Shaw models his No.23 jumper. Source: News Limited

EXPECT to see the No.23 all over Sydney this year.

With Lance Franklin carrying the number at the Swans, it's fair to assume that kids and adults alike will be keen to have 23 on their backs when the season starts.

It's also the jersey to watch across town at the GWS Giants.

Former Collingwood star Heath Shaw will wear the No.23 jersey at the Giants to honour his father and former Magpies captain Ray Shaw.

This will be the first season in 40 years that a Shaw hasn't been involved at Collingwood and it's fitting that Heath, who wore No. 9 at the Magpies, takes the number his dad wore with such distinction.

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"Dad wore (No.23) for his career at Collingwood so I thought it would be pretty fitting to wear that number here and I'm looking forward to it," Shaw said.

"Fresh start, fresh number, fresh state and I'm really looking forward to all these changes coming together for the new year.

"New spot in the locker room, too, which is good. Everything's new."

GWS recruit Heath Shaw Source: News Limited

While Shaw's trade to GWS was unexpected, even to him, it's now in the past as he looks excitedly to a new season. He sees it as a way to relaunch his career in Sydney.

"I was pretty shattered at the start, but it's like being dumped by your ex-girlfriend. You're not going to be going and knocking on her door when you've been dumped. I had a few clubs interested and I chose GWS," he said.

"It helps when your old club doesn't want you any more, though. But coming up here to a new club and new facilities and moving interstate it's been really refreshing for me."

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Shaw has been training with GWS for eight weeks and is enjoying every minute of it. With his promotion to the leadership group, he is confident he can help bring the experience to help the team improve.

"I know I'm a lot older than a lot of these guys and I've got a lot of things I want to tell them," he said.

"I think this group is growing each week and you can see the improvement from when we first started training to now and, personally, I can improve as well by coming up here."

Shaw is embracing his new home at Sydney Olympic Park, having recently moved out of his brother's house (Sydney Swans defender Rhyce Shaw) and into a place with two teammates.