Guthrie, who made his debut in 2011, has had a fantastic start to season 2014, racking up 18 disposals on the weekend.
“He’s shown some great promise, it’s nothing new to us (though). He’s been able to do some great work for us over the last couple of years,” Mackie said.
Averaging 8 tackles a game so far this season, the young Cat has emerged as an increasingly damaging force in the centre.
“He’s not just a shut down player. He reads the game really well and is able to get his own footy, as we saw the other night, he kicked a crucial goal.
“He’s able to do a job, likes to give himself to the team, which is obviously a great asset for a young guy coming through.” Mackie said.
Scott Gullan highlighted Guthrie’s quick progression into the midfield, declaring it a classic Cats move.
“He’s another product of this system, he came in as a back pocket.
“They get 20, 30, 40 games into them, then before you know it, (they’ve) slipped into the midfield. And as Mack said, he’s got the skills, so he can handle himself in there,” Gullan said.
The young Cat played in all three finals matches last year and was outstanding throughout the campaign.
“My understanding is he’s a very focused, driven sort of kid, so it’s a typical Geelong move: slide them in and then graduate them into the big time,” Gullan said.
