Geelong midfielder Cam Guthrie will see out his AFL career at the Cats after penning a new four-year deal and is hoping his premiership dream will be fulfilled within a matter of weeks.
Guthrie’s new deal is a major boost to Geelong just days out from Friday night’s preliminary final against Melbourne at Optus Stadium.
The 29-year-old is yet to taste premiership success, having been named as an emergency in the Cats’ 2011 flag and being part of the team that lost the 2020 grand final to Richmond.
Guthrie was eligible for unrestricted free agency at the end of this year after 204 games in 11 seasons with Geelong.
But he always appeared likely to stay with the Cats, where he has become a genuine star of the competition in recent seasons.
Guthrie won Geelong’s best-and-fairest award and claimed his first All-Australian blazer last year.
Despite his recent personal success, Guthrie would love nothing more than to taste team glory.
“Going back to 2011 and that being Geelong’s last grand final win, projecting forward from then it was always a goal of mine to get in that group and be a premiership player,” Guthrie said.
“There’s been opportunities over those years, but haven’t quite been able to go all the way … 2021 is another opportunity.
“We want to be here when the whips are cracking and we are again. I’m really enthusiastic about our prospects.”
Guthrie’s brother Zac and ruckman Rhys Stanley are also out of contract this year, but both are likely to receive extensions.
“We both love playing with each other, we both love representing Geelong,” Guthrie said of his brother Zac.
“We can both hopefully do that for years to come.”
Geelong have reached a fifth preliminary final in six seasons, but will start as underdogs against minor premiers Melbourne on Friday night.
The Demons came from 44 points down in round 23 to stun Geelong by four points.
Melbourne’s All-Australian key defenders Steven May and Jake Lever were so dominant in that match that Geelong recruit Isaac Smith said the duo made the Cats look like fools.
Guthrie doesn’t quite agree.
“They are pretty strong comments. I’m surprised Isaac does feel that way. In the end it was a quarter of footy that cost us,” Guthrie said.
“Personally for me reflecting on the game, those kind of comments, I don’t know if I necessarily agree with.
“They’re quality players and they’re going to give us a tough night.
“We’re going to have some plans in place to address their influence, and hopefully we can bypass them and put some scoreboard pressure on.”
© AAP
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