HEATH Shaw has been recalled to Collingwood's leadership group just over six months after he was suspended by the AFL for betting on football.
Shaw, 26, is one of three Magpies along with Travis Cloke and Dale Thomas to earn elevation to the group, which will again be led by 2010 premiership captain Nick Maxwell and vice captain Scott Pendlebury.
Retained from 2011 are Luke Ball and Harry O'Brien, while last year's Brownlow medallist Dane Swan has left the group.
Shaw was on track for All Australian honours last year after a strong start to the season but was hit with an AFL sanction of 14 weeks (eight to serve with six suspended) for placing a bet on Maxwell to kick the first goal of the Pies' round nine clash with Adelaide.
He then spent two weeks in Arizona in an attempt to keep up his fitness ahead of the finals, and on return picked up 30 possessions in Collingwood's qualifying final win over West Coast.
After having hip surgery over the pre-season, Shaw is back training and moving well.
He was last part of the leadership group in 2010.
Cloke and Thomas earned their first All Australian honours last year, with Cloke finishing second in the Coleman medal.
Maxwell has been captain since taking over from Scott Burns, who retired at the end of 2008.
More to come
