Shaw has been consistent in defence all season but stepped up another cog against the Bulldogs. He earned 22 possessions, 11 marks, three tackles and seven rebound 50s and took eight intercept marks, all while being tagged by Bulldog Dylan Addison.
It is the first time Shaw has been voted as the clear best on ground this season. He entered the match with 10 votes to his name but is still 26 votes shy of his vice-captain Scott Pendlebury.
Pendlebury heads the club leaderboard with 46 votes after collecting a further six in Sunday’s 34-point win.
The midfielder put in another complete performance, winning 35 possessions, effecting 10 clearances, laying six tackles and kicking a goal.
Wedged between the pair in the weekend’s votes was Dane Swan. As always, Swan did as he pleased in the centre, motoring to 38 possessions and sending the ball inside 50 on seven occasions.
The strength of Swan’s last three weeks is reflected in the AFLCA voting.
After round nine, Swan had received only eight votes. In the space of three games, he has rocketed up to 32 votes and is not far off the competition’s top 10.
That he has impressed the coaches in recent weeks is no surprise. In that time he has averaged 37.6 possessions and seven clearances per game.
Key forward Travis Cloke was rewarded for his five goals with three votes. Bulldog Ryan Griffen rounded out the voting with three of his own.
Pendlebury is now in equal fifth place on the overall leaderboard alongside Essendon captain Jobe Watson.
He still has some work to do if he wishes to catch up to Gold Coast's Gary Ablett who leads all comers with 73 votes.
Collingwood v Western Bulldogs - Round 12
| Votes | Player | Club |
| 10 | Heath Shaw | Collingwood |
| 7 | Dane Swan | Collingwood |
| 6 | Scott Pendlebury | Collingwood |
| 4 | Travis Cloke | Collingwood |
| 2 | Ryan Griffen | Western Bulldogs |
Collingwood Leaderboard for the 2013 AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award (after 12 rounds)
| Votes | Player |
| 46 | Scott Pendlebury |
| 32 | Dane Swan |
| 21 | Steele Sidebottom |
| 22 | Travis Cloke |
| 20 | Heath Shaw |
| 17 | Harry O'Brien |
| 10 | Sam Dwyer |
| 10 | Jamie Elliott |
| 8 | Paul Seedsman |
| 7 | Luke Ball |
| 7 | Dale Thomas |
| 4 | Jarryd Blair |
| 4 | Quinten Lynch |
| 4 | Brent Macaffer |
| 3 | Nathan Brown |
| 2 | Ben Kennedy |
| 1 | Ben Hudson |
| 1 | Darren Jolly |
| 1 | Andrew Krakouer |
| 1 | Kyle Martin |
| 1 | Alan Toovey |
Overall 2013 AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award Leaderboard (after 12 rounds)
| Votes | Player | Club |
| 73 | Gary Ablett | Gold Coast |
| 54 | Daniel Hannebery | Sydney |
| 50 | Patrick Dangerfield | Adelaide |
| 50 | Kieren Jack | Sydney |
| 46 | Scott Pendlebury | Collingwood |
| 46 | Jobe Watson | Essendon |
| 39 | Brett Deledio | Richmond |
| 38 | Travis Boak | Port Adelaide |
| 36 | Jarrad McVeigh | Sydney |
| 35 | Rory Sloane | Adelaide |
