SYDNEY Swans defender Rhyce Shaw will try his hand at coaching when his playing days are over, according to his father Ray.

Shaw is one of the Swans' on-field leaders, regularly setting up their forward thrusts with his drive out of defence, and reads the game well.

Shaw, who turned 31 last month, played 24 of a possible 25 games in 2012 and had a key role in the club's premiership victory over Hawthorn.

Following a sometimes-difficult 94-game, eight-year stint with the Pies, Shaw has now played 93 times for the Swans and seems to have plenty of football left in him.

And his father Ray, who captained Collingwood and won a best and fairest in 1978, believes he will remain in Sydney and pick up a whistle once he hangs up the boots.

"He just loves it up there," Shaw said. "The way they're talking about him, the coaches and the football staff, I'd be very surprised if we see him for a while.

"They're putting him through a coaching course at the moment, so I think they're pretty keen to get him involved in that.

"Everything's going really well for him up there."

Shaw has produced some of his best football as a Swan, finishing runner-up in the club best and fairest in 2009 and 2011.

He has also proven a very popular member of the squad, earning a rapturous reception when he claimed the best club man award in 2011.

His father believes he has the ideal experience to talk to younger players about the pitfalls that can lie ahead as an AFL player.

"I think Daniel Hannebery called him the pied piper because he just attracts everyone to him," Ray said.

"He's a very genuine bloke.

"He's had his highs and lows and I think he can talk to young players about taking them as they come and not getting too depressed if things aren't going well.

"It can quickly turn around.

"If you don't enjoy your footy, you're not going to play well, and he's really enjoying his footy."

There is little doubt getting out of the Collingwood fishbowl has been instrumental in Shaw's career renaissance over the past four years.

His coach John Longmire is also grateful Shaw made the move.

"I think he's on the record as saying he appreciated coming to Sydney and playing football here," Longmire said.

"He felt as though he needed an opportunity somewhere else and that's what he's been able to do here."

And it's an opportunity that could continue for some time yet.

James Dampney is a reporter for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_JD