The Grand Final heroes, who were elevated to Collingwood's leadership group ahead of the club's 2010 premiership season, left the Magpies in controversial circumstances at the end of this season.
Jolly was left out of the Pies' finals campaign and then delisted and Shaw was traded to Greater Western Sydney after losing his cool in the final against Port.
Both left with their relationships at the Westpac Centre soured, with Jolly taking a parting swipe at coach Nathan Buckley, labelling him a "coward".
Shaw said Jolly, who was unable to find another AFL home, was a straight shooter and defended his right to speak out after being delisted.
"It's pretty harsh words, but that's the way 'Jolls' feels and he tells it as it is," Shaw said.
"I wouldn't deny him those comments because that's the way he felt and the way he feels at the time."
Shaw said the pair spoke out during their time at Collingwood because they were motivated by what was best for the club.
"If we thought that something was going to improve the club then we'd obviously [put] our hand up and say it," he said.
"Whether he (Buckley) took that on board or not, that's up to him.
"At the end of the day, we're there to win games of footy and we're there to improve.
"So it was never going to be anything that was against the club."
Shaw was speaking in Canberra where the Giants were completing their Australia Post Community Camp, with all of the club's new recruits on board.
Coach Leon Cameron said he had high expectations for Shaw, who has signed a five-year deal.
"He's got four or five years of good football left in him," Cameron said.
"We expect him to play at the level he was playing at Collingwood.
"Like Shane Mumford (Sydney Swans) or Josh Hunt (Geelong), they've come out of very successful clubs.
"Those guys are helping fast-track our young players to become more competitive."
Twitter: @AFL_Nathan
