It is a name that Cats fans would love to see back in the starting line-up and in exciting news, his football return might not be too far away. 

Cam Guthrie has featured in just 10 AFL games since the start 2023, making his last appearance in the Hoops during Geelong's VFL Semi Final last year after a pair of injury-riddled seasons. 

Across a stellar career with the Cats so far, Guthrie became a premiership player alongside brother Zach in 2022, earned an All-Australian selection in 2020 and won two Carji Greeves Medals (2020, 2022). 

Chatting with 3AW Football prior to Geelong's Round 9 clash, Guthrie provided an update on his injury and outlined a potential timeline for his return to football. 

"It has been more positive the past few weeks," Guthrie said. 

"I had a minor procedure around my achilles about 10 weeks ago, then I really made some good gains in the last five weeks.

"I am hoping for some VFL action maybe in two weeks time, I have got the Footscray VFL game kind of marked in. If everything goes to plan up until then, I will have a run which is the day after we play the Bulldogs at home on the Thursday night.

"I am looking forward to getting some footy under my belt, I have just been training and although it is fun, you want to be out there on game day.

"Hopefully I will get that chance soon."

While chatting with 3AW Football, Guthrie was also full of praise for teammate, Gryan Miers who made his return to the Cats AFL team against the Giants. 

After missing two weeks through concussion protocol, Miers was instrumental on Sunday accumulating 23 disposals, nine marks and five score involvements, while also kicking a goal of his own late in the first half. 

His unique kicking style always catches the eye of onlookers, but Guthrie said that Miers skill and vision makes him so important to the Geelong line-up. 

"He is pretty incredible, his vision is amazing with some of the options he can pull off," Guthrie said. 

"The kicks that he can make around his body, I am very much a straight kick so it blows my mind a little bit.

"Through the second and third quarters of the Collingwood game, I didn't think we played as a team very well and really struggled between the arcs. We managed to remedy that, but I think it was down to the fact that we are used to having Gryan there and using his run.

"He is one of our best runners, along with his vision and foot skills going forward."