Young gun Cameron Guthrie has been named in the 2014 AFL Players’ Association 22Under22 squad.
The 22Under22 concept was introduced in 2013 to recognise the best young talent in the competition, as decided by the fans. To be eligible for this year’s team, players must be aged 22 or younger on Grand Final Day this year.
Guthrie has been selected in the initial 45-man squad selected by the AFL Players’ Association Board.
The final 22Under22 team will be decided by fans, with the AFL Players’ Association calling on all footy fans to cast their vote by liking the AFL Players’ Facebook page and selecting a 22Under22 team from the 45-man squad.
Last year’s 22Under22 captain, Dyson Heppell, says the concept is a great way to acknowledge the next generation of elite players.
“I think it’s a fantastic initiative from the Players’ Association to have a 22Under22 side,” says Heppell, who’s encouraging all footy fans to make their voice heard in the AFL’s only fan-voted award.
“There are a lot of fans that watch the game quite intently and there was a good spread of players, from across a lot of different sides, in the team last year. It’s great to see a lot of fans interacting with the concept.”
This year’s 22Under22 squad has at least one nominee from each AFL club, with Guthrie representing Geelong.
After cementing a spot in the Cats line-up last season, Guthrie has taken his game to another level in 2014, playing an important role in Geelong’s midfield. The hard-working 22-year-old is becoming one of Geelong’s most important young players and is one of the leading tacklers at the club, averaging more than five a game.
The final 22Under22 team will be announced at the AFL Players’ MVP Awards on Tuesday, September 9.
You can vote for Guthrie by submitting your 22Under22 team via the AFL Players’ Facebook page from August 18 to September 4. Everyone who enters a team will be in the running to win the ultimate 22Under22 prize-pack.
Click here to create your team and vote.
Find out more about 22Under22 at www.aflplayers.com.au
