ON THE eve of this season, Heath and Rhyce Shaw received the ultimate motivation to strive for football's ultimate prize.
Their father, former Collingwood skipper and Copeland Trophy winner Ray, was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame for his colourful 146-game career as a Magpie.
Ray was a best first year player and best finals player in 1974, most consistent player, Magpie of the Year, the club's best and fairest and a Victorian selection in 1978, and then finally earned the captaincy honours in 1979 and 1980.
What eluded Ray throughout this decorated career was a premiership. He played in four losing Grand Finals, as well as the rematch against North Melbourne in 1977.
It's this record that makes Heath and brother Rhyce determined to share a premiership with their father before their own playing careers with the black and white end.
"He achieved a lot as a footballer for Collingwood, and the only thing he missed out on was his premiership," Heath said, at the Hall of Fame induction evening.
"A lot of players play a lot of games and they don't get a premiership, like Robert Harvey and guys like that.
"They play for 20 years and don't get a premiership. Dad played eight years and didn't get a premiership, and played in a fair few losing Grand Finals.
"It makes you a bit hungrier; you're hungry to start with but it makes you even hungrier to get that Grand Final. Hopefully in the next few years, we can get one for him."
Heath said his dad was always on hand to lend him and his brother tips throughout their junior careers, which must have paid dividends with Ray calling his younger son "a very, very good player" during his acceptance speech.
"He was always good to us, watching us playing football," he said.
"He didn't really get too involved in our football but he was always there to support us and give us advice when we needed it, which is always a good thing for a dad to do for his kids.
"I didn't get to see much of him play so it's good to see all those old highlights of him playing, and hearing the descriptions of him playing."
Heath and Rhyce learned of Ray's impending induction while the side was in Dubai for the opening NAB Cup match against Adelaide.
The 22-year-old said the announcement made him again consider the weight of the surname he plays under, and the significance is holds in regards to the club.
"Eddie McGuire rang us and let us know after he had told dad," he said.
"It was pretty interesting getting that message and then ringing dad after that. He was pretty stoked, which is always good.
"He played at the club before us and it's a very a popular name, the Shaw name, at Collingwood.
"For dad to be inducted, it was a big honour and surprise to him too, I think. He was a bit shocked when it happened.
"It was good to see him get the reward for a lot of hard work throughout the years."
As far as this season is concerned, Heath said he is pleased with the leadership group the club appointed after deciding to put his own captaincy ambitions on the backburner.
"You have to nominate for the leadership group and I didn't nominate," he said.
"I thought this is my third full season and I want to make sure I play good footy. You don't have to be in the leadership group to be a leader, on the field and off the field.
"As Mick [Malthouse] and Eddie said, there's 15 people that you could squeeze into five spots.
"I'm very happy with the leaders we've got. Burnsy (Scott Burns) has obviously been around the club for awhile and he's very respected, and we've got a mixture of young and old people in there.
"It's going to be a good year and hopefully not just five guys are leading; it's 25 each week."