Zach and Cameron Guthrie returned to their local club during the week, visiting the Sunbury Lions Junior Football Club as Geelong prepare for the traditional Country Game on Saturday.  

The Cats will highlight the contribution that regional football clubs make to the game of Australian Football, returning to where it all started at their junior club.  
 
Saturday night’s clash also poses as an important one for Geelong, facing the in-form Bombers who currently sit third on the ladder.  
 
Zach Guthrie spoke to media about the upcoming clash with Essendon. 

 
"The Bombers have been going really well this year, which presents another challenge for us this week,” Guthrie said.  
 
“We are expecting a really good crowd on Saturday night, it should be an exciting game to be a part of.  
 
"Every week presents a new challenge.  
 
“If you are a little bit off, any opposition has the capability to beat any team on any given day.  
 
“We are still really optimistic that we can flip the script and get our game back on track, there is still plenty of the season to play out.” 
 
Guthrie has been a reliable performer for the Cats this season, playing all 14 games and averaging a career-high in disposals, rebound 50’s and contested marks.  
 
It comes off the back of a breakout season for the emerging defender in 2023, who finished fourth in the 2023 Carji Greeves Medal.  
 
But this week Guthrie returned to where his footballing journey started, visiting the Sunbury Football Club and noting the importance of this weekend’s Country Game.  
 
"We are part of the country game this week, for the clash with the Bombers which is really exciting,” Guthrie said.  
 
“We get to wear our local club logos, representing our junior clubs on our jumper this week.  
 
We are lucky enough to be out here at the Sunbury Lions footy club, which is where I played all my footy growing up.”