COLLINGWOOD backman Heath Shaw was stunned when he was handed down an eight-week sanction for betting on a game, and didn't initially think his actions were worthy of suspension.
The 25-year-old was handed the penalty by the AFL in July after it was revealed he contributed $10 to a $20 bet for Nick Maxwell to kick the first goal of the Magpies' round nine clash with Adelaide.
His total sanction was 14 matches, with six suspended. He was also fined $20,000.
Shaw also passed on information that Maxwell was expected to start in attack to two other people, which resulted in a further three bets being placed.
Speaking a week after his return from a two-week self-funded training stint in Arizona, and with his suspension to end after Friday night's round 24 match against Geelong, Shaw admitted he was shocked with the magnitude of the penalty.
"To be honest, I didn't think I'd miss any football. I thought I might get a fine or something like that," Shaw told SEN on Tuesday morning.
"When the number 14 weeks got thrown up at the start, I nearly fell off my chair.
"It was tough and I thought, 'Gee, that's a long time', and then it went down to eight, and I thought, 'That's a long time as well'.
Shaw said he felt the two-month suspension was "a bit too harsh", but understood why the AFL was so strict when it came to protecting the integrity of the game.
"When you break the rules, you can't really pick your punishment," he said.
"I understand where the AFL are coming from in terms of what it might lead to, not necessarily saying something so minor would turn into match fixing, but if you don't knock it on the head from the start, it could eventuate that way.
"Obviously I thought the penalty was a bit too harsh but I didn't have any control over that and I've done my seven weeks so far and it's actually gone pretty quick and I'm just looking forward to getting back into it."
The Magpies have lost just one game this season - a three-point loss to Geelong in round eight - and will finish on top of the ladder regardless of who wins Friday night's rematch.
Shaw said he had done everything he could to ensure he was ready to break back into the 22 when his suspension ended.
"I was a bit worried about my spot in the team and how I would come back and how I would get myself in the position to get back," Shaw said.
"But [I was] working closely with [sports science director] David Buttifant and I had a lot of confidence from Mick, just saying, 'Get yourself right, get yourself in the best possible shape and the selection will look after itself'."
"I've really worked hard these last eight weeks to put myself in that position, and then hopefully Mick still likes me and plays me in the first final."
In Arizona, Shaw was put through an intense program of running, walking, bike riding and kicking with travelling companion and part-time assistant coach Anthony Rocca.
He has lost five kilograms since starting his suspension but hopes to get closer to his playing weight of around 84kg over the next week.
Still, Shaw believes his training regime has left him well prepared to put his hand up for selection for the first final, likely to be against West Coast.
"I suppose the contact stuff, I've missed out on a fair bit of that stuff, but the good thing about training with one other person is you get a lot of kicks, " he said.
"Sometimes you can run around on the training track for two hours with 44 other guys out there and not even get a kick.
"I managed to get a hell of a lot while I was over there so the footy skills and the touch and the kicking was really good, and these next two weeks are going to be about building up a bit more of that game style, intensity, and copping a few hits."
Shaw added that a self-imposed footy ban while he was overseas had sparked his hunger for a big finals campaign.
"It was really good to get away and go to Arizona for a couple of weeks and just get away from footy," he said.
"I didn't watch any footy over there but it just gives you a bit more hunger now that I've come back.
"I watched the boys on the weekend and went down and watched Geelong versus Sydney on Saturday and that was a ripper game.
"It really got me excited and I've definitely had enough of sitting on the sidelines and I'm ready to go."
Jennifer Witham covers Collingwood news for the AFL Website. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenWitham