Shaw, who missed 16 weeks with an abdominal injury, is the only change for the Swans this weekend with Harry Cunningham making way for the 189-game defender.
Coach John Longmire told SwansTV Shaw would be a welcome inclusion for the Swans in Melbourne.
“Rhyce comes back into the team and we know that he’s got some genuine speed and he’s very good in his one on ones and is a very good leader in his own right,” Longmire said.
“We’ve had a few longer-term injuries this year and to get one of those back and into the team is hopefully a good thing for us.
“Shawy has been training for a fair while now and has played a game and looked pretty sharp and is an experienced player, so we welcome him back into the team.”
The coach said Cunningham, who wore the green vest for the Swans in the last two matches against West Coast and Richmond, would benefit from extended game time in the Swans reserves clash with the Brisbane Lions reserves in Coorparoo this weekend.
“Harry has played a couple of games in our seniors as a sub and has helped us, particularly over in Perth,” Longmire said.
“It will be good for him to go back to the reserves and play four quarters and hopefully push up for selection again for the senior team before the end of the year.
“We’re confident that he’s going to be pushing for senior selection again really soon.”
The Swans are expecting a tough contest against the Bulldogs on Sunday, after their 22-point victory over the West Coast Eagles last weekend.
Longmire said his team would need to be alert to the Bulldogs high-possession style of football at Etihad Stadium.
“We’ve got to be mindful that the sort of football that the Bulldogs play can be really dangerous, and their good players are playing really well and we’ve got to stop them,” he said.
“When Cooney and Griffen and those blokes get the ball, they can really run and carry and do some damage, and Murphy is another one who can do that.
“We need to try and make sure we reduce their influence and their disposal rate, plus also blokes like (Liberatore), who is one of the best contested ball players in the competition and is certainly one of the best clearance players.
“They are all the things we need to keep track of and hopefully it doesn’t get down into their forward line where players like Grant and Dahlhaus and those players played quite well last week.
Western Bulldogs v Sydney Swans
Sunday August 4, 2013
1.10pm AEST
Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
B D.Rampe, H.Grundy, N.Smith
HB N.Malceski, T.Richards, A.Everitt
C C.Bird, R.O'Keefe, J.McVeigh
HF D.Hannebery, J.White, J.Bolton
F J.Lamb, K.Tippett, M.Pyke
Foll S.Mumford, J.Kennedy, K.Jack
I/C B.Jack, T.Mitchell, L.Parker, R.Shaw
Emg S.Biggs, H.Cunningham, M.Morton
In: R.Shaw
Out: H. Cunningham (omitted)
Milestone: Luke Parker – 50 games
