The Quirindi-based fullback has been playing Group 21 since leaving school but was convinced to come back to the Second Division by a few former Quirindi High School friends who play for the Magpies and he hasn’t looked back, bagging two tries and the three points on Saturday as Creek demolished Dungowan 62-12 in their best game of the season so far.

Shaw was in everything, chiming in to the backline for a number of attacking raids as well as hitting the Dungowan defence on the fringes of the ruck as the Magpies rumbled the hosts.

“It was good win and good to get two in a row,” Shaw said.

“We stuck to what we know and it just worked.” 

Shaw thought that skipper Brendan Hunt’s move from hooker to halfback has been a game changer for the Magpies.

Hunt had the ball moving from side to side, with his trademark long flat balls at the line causing plenty of concern for the Cowboys defence  and leading to one of the fullback’s tries.

Scoring the final two tries, the icing on the cake was an inside ball from a set move started by Hunt that finished with the fullback gliding in under the dot.

“Brendo’s (Hunt) long balls are on point every time,” Shaw said.

“We need to keep playing like that.

“We have a strong forward pack and good halves so it is nice to come in behind that from fullback.” 

The win launched the Magpies from outright fourth to equal second, tied perfectly with Boggabri on points and for and against, while the Cowboys are also on 12 competition points to complete the three-way tie for second behind Uralla, who are now three points clear after a win over Wee Waa.

“We need to stay in the top two and bag a top two finish and a home final,” Shaw said.

“It has been great playing with my mates at Werris Creek and I think we can go on with it now.” 

Second Division has a full round bye this weekend for a representative round before Creek come back for their toughest test yet, round two against Uralla after the Tigers pipped them at home in the second round of the season.