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Two of Greater Western Sydney's elder statesmen will mark significant moments in their football journeys when the Giants play the Western Bulldogs in Melbourne on Saturday, but neither expects the process to be straightforward.
For Ryan Griffen, there is the prospect of an icy reception from fans – and opposition players – when he plays for the first time against the club he represented for 10 seasons before leaving for Sydney.
For Heath Shaw, there is a 200-game milestone, a feat to cherish, yet it is tempered by the fact the coach he spent most of his career playing under lost his job this week.
"It's sad to see such a legend of the game go out the way he did," Shaw said of his coach at Collingwood, Mick Malthouse.
"He was a massive influence, probably the biggest influence on my football career. He was my first coach in AFL and I had him for nine years. He taught me a lot about football and then a lot about life as well. Mick and his interesting theories, he always kept your mind ticking over.
"I would invite him to my 200th this week, but I don't think he'd be too keen to go to the footy at Etihad. But if I ever find a girlfriend I'll definitely invite him to my wedding."
Shaw, unsurprisingly, put a humorous spin on the emotion of the time, while Griffen was typically open.
"I think there will be hard moments," the 210-game 28-year-old midfielder said. "I'm sure there is going to be a bit of banter between my old teammates and I'm sure the crowd's going to be getting into me at some stage.
"You do think about it, I guess. I probably will get booed when I run out. That's because they're so passionate about their team, the Bulldogs. I'm sure they'll be into me. But that's exciting for me. I reckon it will get me fired up and looking forward to it."
GWS coach Leon Cameron said he chatted with Griffen about what it might be like playing against his former club, something Cameron experienced when he went to Richmond after 10 seasons at Footscray/Western Bulldogs.
"There's no doubt there's going to be some nerves," Cameron said. "But I'm sure once those nerves settle in the early part of the game, away he goes."
Both Griffen and Shaw discussed the challenges they faced leaving their former clubs. But each agreed their move had been the right one.
"I was in a deep hole, I wasn't enjoying the game and didn't really enjoy training," Griffen said. "It's been amazing for me [to move to GWS]. It's freshened me right up.
"I enjoy training again and I'm enjoying playing with this group. I'm still trying to get to know my teammates and the way they play. I hadn't been that consistent with my game this year. But I think I'm starting to fit in and know my role and starting to feel like I belong here."
Shaw, too, feels his career took an unexpected turn for the better.
"I never thought I'd leave Collingwood," the 29-year-old defender said. "If I hadn't have had some off-field indiscretions, I probably would have played 200 for Collingwood. But I'm pretty happy to get to that milestone and be among a pretty young group here.
"It's something that I've had to take on, being the elder statesman and the experienced campaigner. But I'm enjoying every minute."
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