HE may have been born into a family that bleeds the black and white of Collingwood, but anyone at the Swans can tell you that Rhyce Shaw is now red and white, through and through.

Shaw plays his 150th AFL game this Sunday against Richmond, and team-mates and coaches were keen to pay tribute to “Shawy’’ for his selflessness and the care he takes of others, both on and off the field.

To those who watch the Swans play, he is a dashing half-back/wingman who loves to bounce the footy and run the lines. And of late he has also been noted as a fantastic shut-down player, doing great jobs on North’s Brent Harvey and Brisbane’s Luke Power in recent weeks.

To his team-mates and coaches, he is all that, and more. They rate Rhyce highly, as a person who is always willing to put others before himself.

During the gruelling pre-season training sessions, there is no-one more vocal on the track than Rhyce, as he constantly shouts encouragement.

During games, Dan Hannebery says Rhyce is just as vocal.

“Whether we’ve scored a goal or conceded one, he is always trying to lift the players in the backline,’’ Hannebery says in “Dan’s Diary’’ this week.

“Playing on a wing like me, he is always looking at you, trying to get you to lift your work rate and your body language. He is a really good vocal teammate.

“He always organises all of the boys to catch up and is always the first to put his hand up to drive blokes to the airport and that sort of thing. He’s just a really good team man.

“He has really taken all of the first year players under his wing and made sure they are all at home here in Sydney.’’

To pay tribute to Rhyce as he reaches his milestone, we asked a few people around the club to give us their thoughts on his contribution to the Swans.

Stuart Maxfield, former Swans captain and current General Manager, Development:

“When he came here (at the end of 2008) he very quickly established himself as a leader and became a really trusted member of the team.’’

John Blakey, forwards coach: “Rhyce’s voice and communications skills are absolutely outstanding. He’s the sort of person you want to go out and play with every week.’’

Henry Playfair, former team-mate and current Swans reserves coach: “He’s a fantastic club man. He shows an enormous amount of what we call ‘team care’.’’

Adam Goodes: “From day one at the Swans, Rhyce bought into our culture and earnt the trust of the group.  Straight away he became someone who used his voice to lead the way. He both challenges and supports team-mates.’’

Shaw, 29, played 94 games at Collingwood after being picked up in the 1999 draft as a father-son selection.

He was traded to the Swans at the end of 2008, and was runner-up in the best and fairest to Ryan O’Keefe in 2009.

With so many nice words said about Rhyce, it wouldn’t be right if we left out the fact that he also loves to let his hair down (the little he has) after a good win.

From everyone at the Swans, thanks Rhyce, and congratulations on reaching your 150th!