Luckless Geelong star Cam Guthrie reflects on injury woes as return date unclear from latest setback

Cam Guthrie was supposed to be back after Geelong’s bye, but he remains sidelined. The dual best-and-fairest winner shares his frustration as his rotten luck continues.

Frustrated Geelong midfielder Cam Guthrie has admitted his horror injury run over the past two seasons has been difficult to handle as his return date from his latest injury setback remains unclear.

Guthrie has managed 10 of a possible 37 games since Geelong clinched premiership glory in 2022 — where the ball-winner was recognised as the Cats’ best-and-fairest — and his rotten luck has continued this season.

After having his 2023 campaign wiped out by a long-term toe injury, Guthrie suffered a quad blow in the opening seconds of Geelong’s first pre-season game this year and has found himself on the sidelines again with an achilles tendon issue.

Guthrie, who turns 32 in August, has been unsighted since he was subbed off in Geelong’s crushing loss Gold Coast in round 10.

Cats coach Chris Scott said he was managed at the time, but he was left out of their clash with GWS the following week.

The club’s injury report ahead of round 12 revealed that Guthrie would be sidelined for 1-2 weeks, but the recovery process has been much slower than anticipated.

He was eyeing a return after Geelong’s bye, however his timeline was then pushed back further.

Guthrie is set to test himself in training this week and is hopeful of a return against Hawthorn at GMHBA Stadium in round 17, but he is no guarantee to return in the next fortnight as he builds his fitness.

Cam Guthrie hasn’t featured since his clash in Darwin. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“I think with tendon injuries at times they just slowly kind of grumble along and you deal with them for weeks or time, or sometimes seasons at a time. But it probably got to the point where it was probably getting sorer, so kind of decided to pull the trigger on a bit of a rest,” Guthrie said.

“It’s probably been a little bit slower than I would have hoped for at that time when we made that decision, but working really hard to get that right.

“It hasn’t been a clear picture. It’s becoming clearer as time goes on, but it’s hard to give an exact date for return.”

While Guthrie’s injury-riddled past 18 months have helped him handle his latest setback, it has also added to his frustration.

“I think after the 2022 season and the premiership and all that I kind of felt like the team and individually I was probably at the top of my game. So to be out pretty much since injured is annoying and at times kind of hard to take and frustrating,” Guthrie said.

“But I’m not the first one who’s gone through injuries at the footy club or in the AFL. So just my time and just working away and trying to make it back and we’ll see how that pans out.

“I think you always take lessons out of being injured, which has probably prepared me well for this year, but it also feels almost like it’s kind of just piled on to last year, which has also been hard to take.

“You always try and look for positives when things aren’t going your way. It has been challenging at times, but I’ve got a great team around me at the footy club and away from it, so I’ve been leaning on them and they’ve been really happy to assist.”

The 240-game Cat said he has been spending more time at the club than he would have if he was fit and playing.

Contracted for 2025, Guthrie remains confident he can help the Cats towards a finals berth this year.

“Sometimes that can make injuries just as frustrating, not being able to do the things you love, but I’m not complaining too much,” Guthrie said.

“I still think I’m in a great position to attack the back end of the year, and hopefully the boys can continue the form that we started off the year with.”

Zach Guthrie and Cam Guthrie with kids from Sunbury Lions Junior Football Club, where the Guthries started their football journey. Picture: Geelong Cats/Brad McGee

Cam and Zach Guthrie at their junior club. Picture: Geelong Cats/Brad McGee

Guthrie was taken on a trip down memory lane on Tuesday night, giving back to his junior club the Sunbury Lions with his younger brother Zach ahead of Saturday night’s country game against Essendon.

Their brother Josh still turns out in the seniors for the Lions, with teammate Mark Blicavs also playing a season with the club when he was younger.

“I still have some really vivid memories of playing here, training here. So it’s kind of nice to see the (Sunbury) under elevens in a similar position to what I was years ago,” Guthrie said.

“‘Blitz’ was kind of new to footy back then but he kind of always had that kind of athletic gifts that he shows week in week out now at AFL level. So it’s pretty cool to see those skills that have been built over the years in him.”

Originally published as Luckless Geelong star Cam Guthrie reflects on injury woes as return date unclear from latest setback