A former Keon Park player, Shaw made his VFA debut for Preston in the 1985 season.
[1] In 1988, Shaw was caught up in a controversy surrounding the VFA's representative match against the WAFL in Perth on Tuesday 5 July.
He declared himself unavailable for the game as he was caring for his ill mother, and the Association made him ineligible to play for Preston in its match on the previous weekend – a ruling intended to prevent clubs from intentionally making their star players unavailable.
[4] Preston successfully fought the decision in court, and the four points were restored just before the finals.
He was later a prolific full-forward at North Heidelberg, winning the Diamond Valley Football League leading goal-kicker award five times, including a league-record 161 goals in 1994; and finally at Corowa-Rutherglen in the Ovens & Murray Football League, where he kicked 91 goals in 1998.