The Magpies have been untroubled in their recent winning streak as Mick Malthouse’s side has played attacking, free-flowing football.
An average winning margin over of more than nine goals from its past five matches has made impressive reading.
On Friday at the MCG, however, the Pies will have to restrict the highest-scoring team in the competition.
Shaw, who will play his 100th AFL match against the Cats, acknowledged the heat would be on when the ball bounced and he hoped the Pies’ defence - ranked fourth in the league for points against - could carry on that form.
“We’re a pretty close unit,” Shaw said this week. “As a backline you’re under the pump a fair bit because teams score in the forward line and you’re always under pressure holding a team to a low score.
“We’ve been in some pretty solid form and hopefully we can continue on with that.”
The Cats are the only side to have booted more than 1000 points (1012) through eight matches and boast the best percentage of any team this year.
Collingwood’s attack is ranked second, giving the match all the ingredients of a fast-paced shootout.
Perhaps the only worrying sign for the Pies has been the number of goals they have allowed opposition teams in recent weeks.
On average, they’ve conceded 15 majors in the past three rounds. During that same period, Geelong has booted 24, 19 and 24 goals in three massive wins.
“As a backman I'd like it if we tightened up a bit,” Shaw said.
“The way our games have gone, we've been pretty offensive and we've scored pretty highly.”
Both teams possess an abundance of scoring power. However Shaw won’t mind one bit if fans leave the MCG having not seen the scoring frenzy the game promises to deliver.
“If it's two goals to one goal at the end of the game and Collingwood win, then I'll be very happy with that,” he said.
The dilemma for defenders of both teams, particularly those with a willingness and licence to run and create, like Shaw, is how much they dare on Friday night.
The 24-year-old noted the quality Geelong possessed but said the main emphasis was on limiting the Cats’ opportunities.
Harry O’Brien echoed his teammate’s thoughts earlier this week when asked about the fine line between attack and defence.
While acknowledging the danger involved with potentially leaving a Paul Chapman or Steve Johnson alone, Collingwood’s defenders appear set to continue to run and take risks.
“We stick to our structures, we stick to the way we think can help the team and that’s certainly a feature of the way we think we can be a successful team,” O’Brien said.
“I don’t think we change too much. [But] Geelong’s forward line is so dangerous, so we’ll have to be very accountable.”
