Toast Zach Guthrie - Premiership Player

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He's been a much maligned player across his career to date, but I'm an unashamed Guthrie Jnr fan from early on, and like he did in last year's prelim he just presents as a player who wants to be playing at this time of year

Thought he was our best on early and through to half time - he was taking intercept marks, there was a willingness to back himself and take the game on when others were maybe a bit more hesitant or still trying to get a feel for the game

But there's two passages I really loved from tonight, and neither is likely to have been shown during the coverage or make the highlights reel:
- 2nd quarter Holmes makes the run down tackle on Daicos, there's a little bit afterwards there's a 50m penalty to go with it. Holmes gets up & gets on his bike, at the same time Guthrie comes from the defensive 50 to make sure Daicos knows what he's just done - he didn't cross the line or risk an overturned free kick, but made his presence felt

- 4th quarter, probably about 10 minutes to go and he starts directing traffic in the backline; could see him being vocal with teammates and pointing with where teammates needed to go or an option to kick to and there was a real maturity to it

This is a player who's not long played 50 games which took him 6 seasons to do, and has long been seen by many as being on the fringes - even during the first quarter I swear someone called for him to be dropped

To me, there's a composure to his game, a level of maturity we don't always see from 50 gamers and a little something that makes him more valuable than just a fringe player - a leader in the making, while already displaying some of those intangible things you just want to see
 

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Foregone selection I reckon, be inside the top dozen picked.
Surely cemented his spot by quarter time

The Zach Guthrie of 2022 isn't the same Zach Guthrie of past years - 19 games this year, and while he may have had quiet games I'm not sure he's had too many poor games
 
Surely cemented his spot by quarter time

The Zach Guthrie of 2022 isn't the same Zach Guthrie of past years - 19 games this year, and while he may have had quiet games I'm not sure he's had too many poor games

Thing is he was good in finals in 2021 as well. the Zuth appears to be a legit big time player.
 
He was huge early when the pressure was extreme and the Pies up and about, Zac was taking intercept marks and showing great defensive composure. He's a very good kick and he rarely makes a mistake now, and good on him! He's worked bloody hard considering he was built like a little leaguer, he had that miss which could have put the Cats ahead in the '17 QF (he missed and Vlastuin...how the hell he can be called Vloss-Stone) kicks his 1st goal of that season moments later and that was it. Then the Roughie mark situation early the next year of course, why he was there rather than Harry T or co though was the issue.

But now, he's almost a rock of defence, very good player who is a huge part of this new Geelong side. Today's game was a nerve jangler, after the Pies kicked the first three there was barley a goal in it all game. He knows now how to play in a big final, and he's part of a winning side. Well done Zach, you've persevered and established yourself as a bloody good player.
 
The backline of 2014-2020 had elements of "too slow, not skilled enough, no composure" about it. He's developed to a point where he addresses that flaw with the balance of defending and intercepting creativity. Reliable, determined and with the athletic profile to stay with opposition. Intercept marking is something I never expected from him until this season.
 

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Finals mode Zuthrie activated.


Some players are made for finals

And after his recent finals performances going back to last year, he just looks like he's made for this time of year
 
The triumvirate of Guthrie, Stewart and De Koning helps our entire side soooo much.

Means that Kolo, if he’s fit, can just focus on his strength which is man on man impacting the contest. O’Connor can clean up when the ball is on the ground. Bews can use that great run that he gets through half back. Blicavs has one less roll that he has to factor in to his game in going back to help out. Tuohy who is one of our best kicks and generally has good hands can get up the ground and sneak forward for a goal or two.

What an amazing luxury for Scott to just set and forget those three and be able to develop other tactics that don’t rely on contingency plans etc etc.

When I watched Guthrie get monstered by Roughy in that Easter Monday game in his debut year I thought that he simply would never be a worthwhile investment. How wrong I was and again, the coach trumps us nuffies in knowing better
 

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