AFL 2024: Numbers highlight Geelong defender Zach Guthrie’s continued improvement

The numbers and the eye test show that Zach Guthrie has taken his game to another level. And the Cats will be breathing a sigh of relief. Here’s why.

Zach Guthrie has improved again in 2024. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

When Geelong needed a hero late in the last quarter against Melbourne, a reliable defender stepped up to the plate,

No, it wasn’t Tom Stewart this time.

Instead, it was the much-improved Zach Guthrie – and it isn’t just his blonde hair that is resembling the five-time all-Australian right now.

With seven minutes left on the clock, Guthrie read the play beautifully to take a crucial intercept mark – his sixth for the night – over the top of Kade Chandler and then hit a risky kick into the middle to Mitch Duncan.

From that point on he laid a tackle on Jack Viney deep in defence when he was gearing up for a snap at goal; hit another dicey kick on his non-preferred left foot to find Ollie Dempsey in space; and took a contested mark up against Bayley Fritsch from a Cats switch.

Zach Guthrie flies high over the top of Kade Chandler. Picture: Michael Klein

Guthrie stood up when the game was on the line. Picture: Getty Images

He saved the best for last, floating forward and crumbing at the feet of Hawkins before putting it through on his left.

Guthrie has only kicked the 12 goals across his 85 game career and that would have to be the most important.

“I snuck down there and sometimes you just get lucky, it falls in your lap. So that was that was sort of what happened to me in the end, and it kind of gave us a chance,” Guthrie said.

The Cats may have gone down on the night to Melbourne, but his important last quarter and standout performance – finishing with 24 disposals, 11 intercept possessions and a goal – highlighted just how far he has come.

The numbers and the eye test show that he improved again after a breakout 2023 season, where he finished fourth in Geelong’s best-and-fairest.

Guthrie has upped his intercept game, rating elite among general defenders for intercept marks and intercept possessions, averaging +2.2 intercept possessions and +1.1 than his 2023 return.

He is hurting sides more offensively than he had in the past, gaining 49 per cent more metreage than last season, and has also neutralised all four of his one-on-one contests this season.

It is far cry from the wiry fringe defender who played just 20 games in his first four seasons at the club.

Guthrie was eligible as a free agent at the beginning of the year, but he re-signed until the end of 2025 after their round one win over St Kilda.

The Cats would be thanking their lucky stars for Guthrie’s show of faith, as the defender’s value and standing are both rising by the week.

The humble Guthrie believes his growth is down to experience and said he has relished learning off arguably the best defender in the game.

“I think that just comes with playing more footy, to be honest. I think the more experience you get, the more comfortable you start to feel out on the field,” Guthrie said.

“(I) have been a little bit in and out throughout the early stages of my career, and I’ve just been able to get a good run at things. My body’s been able to hold up in the last few years, which has been good.

“I think he’s (Stewart’s) obviously a superstar of the competition and you love playing with any superstar, but he is someone I really enjoyed talking about our game plan every week with someone I enjoy gelling with. Whenever you get the opportunity to play with guys like him, you sort of just walk a little bit taller.”

Originally published as AFL 2024: Numbers highlight Geelong defender Zach Guthrie’s continued improvement