COLLINGWOOD star Heath Shaw says he has already seen a greater maturity level in new recruit Chris Tarrant and he is looking forward to playing alongside him next season.
The pair was at the MCG on Wednesday as Collingwood officials unveiled the club's 2011 jumper, which will feature its premiership badge.
The jumper will also display the logo of new sponsor CGU, which has joined the club in a seven-year partnership.
Shaw and Tarrant modelled the new jumpers on the MCG turf and spoke about their excitement about the 2011 season.
Click here to watch Wednesday's press conference announcing CGU as the club's new partner
While it is less than three weeks since Shaw and the Pies conquered the AFL mountain to claim the club's first flag in 20 years, Tarrant, who re-joined the club during trade week, is eagerly anticipating again running out in the black and white.
He spent the past four seasons with Fremantle, and was injured for much of 2010, but Shaw said he had detected a hunger that might not have been evident earlier in his teammate's career.
"I suppose everyone matures as they get older," Shaw told afl.com.au.
"He still loves to joke and all that, but he's been training at the club for a couple of weeks and been in every second day [since he got back].
"He is ready to go and he is really keen to get started, and that's exciting for us as a club as well.
"He said 'I want to go to Collingwood, I don't want to go anywhere else' and I think that shows his commitment and how Collingwood stays with you no matter where you go or what happens to you. So it's exciting times for him and us."
Tarrant, who is set to wear the No.2 jumper at Collingwood next season left vacant by the retired Sean Rusling, said he was "jumping out of his skin" to resume training with his teammates, some of whom he already knows from his earlier stint at the Pies.
One of those is Shaw, who was more familiar with the high-flying, goal-kicking forward than the defender who will re-join the club.
But Shaw said Tarrant's versatility would be welcomed ... as long as it didn't kick him out of the 22.
"He went back [to defence at Fremantle] and I think he took it on board as a new challenge, and he really excelled," Shaw said.
"A guy of his stature and his athletic ability, you can sort of throw them anywhere and they'll be able to do a job.
"He fitted in really well at full-back or centre-half back for Freo and hopefully he can do the same with us.
"We've got some pretty good depth with our tall defenders, but Taz has shown before he can play on the smaller types as well ... he'll fit in nicely."
