How a future AFL coach turned $1 into more than $33,000 while he was asleep

It was Thursday September 20, 2012.

The East Lakes Hotel in Sydney was full of Swans players enjoying a meal and a soda water ahead of a huge preliminary final against Collingwood.

Trent Dennis-Lane, Andrejs Everitt, Kieran Jack, Mark Seaby, Jed Lamb, Mitch Morton and co all enjoying each other’s company.

It was a regular Thursday spot for the bloods.

The races were on, as they always were. Eagle Farm, Doomben, Gold Coast race club and Ballarat often got a workout on these nights.

Soon to be Norm Smith medallist Ryan O’Keefe lived just around the corner so he popped in to say hi as well.

This was an important cultural component of the week for Sydney following an easy qualifying final win over Adelaide a fortnight earlier.

Anyway, Rhyce Shaw was particularly excited for the Pies prelim, given it would be against his brother Heath AND his former club.

A few of the younger players were betting on trackside… Tony Armstrong, Tom Mitchell, Alex Johnson types.

For those unaware, Trackside is essentially animated racing. Like cartoons. You may as well play the pokies. The horses race, but it's more of a computer game than a real sport.

Rhyce Shaw loved a punt, but he had no interest in Trackside. To prove its fickleness, he placed 50 $1 bets on 50 consecutive races.

“I’m going to show all you young fellas what a waste of money this is,” he told his younger, more impressionable teammates.

Each race was the same bet… The first four animated horses, in order… Number 12, 11, 10, 9. For him to win, it had to be that exact order.

50 races and $1 per race.

20 games in: Nothing.

Rhyce Shaw sighed.

"Told you lads, a waste of cash. Stick to the real horses!"

He said he goodbyes and went home for an early night. He was prepared to lose $50 to prove a point…

As he put his head on the pillow and he nodded off to sleep, Shaw’s phone rang.

“Shawry, it’s Nick Malceski here. You need to come back to the pub… And quick!"

“Why mate? We have a huge game Saturday and now I’m home!” Shaw replied.

“Just get here!” said Malceski.

Shaw did as his close friend and soon to be premiership hero said and got dressed, walked around the corner and back into the pub.

"What's up boys. Why have you woken me up?"

He was given the ticket and told to scan it.

DING DING DING!

What did he win? $33,600.

The first four in Race 45 were 12,11,10 then 9.

Lewis Jetta, Jarred Moore and Nathan Gordon couldn’t contain their excitement. The entire place erupted.

Shaw couldn’t believe it. He’d turned $1 into $33,600.

48 hours later he picked up 27 disposals against his old team as Sydney won by 26 points. Then a week after that played in a flag against Hawthorn!

And how did the $33,600 get spent? It funded Mad Monday, Wacky Wednesday and Silly Sunday.

Needless to say Shaw was the most popular player at the club: A winning prelim, Grand Final and $33,600… All in the space of 9 days.

And remember, gamble responsibly... Especially with Trackside!