shacks article

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AFL future cloudy: Shackleton
DESCRIBING his senior debut with Collingwood this year as nerve-racking, former Burnie footballer Luke Shackleton returns to the AFL jungle next week uncertain whether he will stay at the club.

Shackleton (19) was picked up at No.29 in the 2002 national draft but after two seasons has had only one senior opportunity to show his skills at the elite level.

"I head back to Melbourne next Thursday and will meet the club on Friday for a revue of the season," he said.

"I am unsure what will happen but if I was de-listed I would try and get into another club and if that failed I might come home."

The noted hard-nut with super clearance skills, has been playing with Collingwood's VFL-aligned club Williamstown and was part of its 2003 premiership winning VFL team.

"They (Collingwood and Williamstown) have been great and are always helping you out with little things about your game," he said.

"When I got my senior game we ran out in front of 50,000 people, I was really nervous and my fellow on-ballers, Nathan Buckley and Scott Burns, just said to try not to think about too much and just get my hands on the ball.

"I've just tried to learn from my mistakes and become a better player."

If Shackleton was de-listed and failed to find another club, the first person he would contact would be former Ulverstone coach Brent Plant.

"'Planty' was my North-West Mariners coach and had a lot to do with me for about five or six years," Shackleton said.

"If he was coaching I would find out where it was and maybe have a run there if my AFL career was over."