RE-SIGNED defender Cameron Guthrie has put his hand up to return for Geelong's clash with the Western Bulldogs after the club's bye.
On Tuesday, Guthrie put pen to paper on a fresh extension until the end of 2021 and is hoping to play for the first time since round three when the Cats face the Dogs in round 15.
The 25-year-old underwent surgery to repair his ankle syndesmosis joint in April and has since played two games back in the VFL.
"From my understanding, the two games in the VFL were what we set out to achieve and we did that," Guthrie said on Tuesday.
"I'd say I'd put my hand up for selection going into next week, (it's) just whether the coaches want me back in the team and I'll contribute enough."
Guthrie could be joined by Scott Selwood (two matches) and Harry Taylor (one match) who have returned in the VFL in recent weeks.
Key defender Lachie Henderson will require several more weeks as he pushes for his first AFL game this year after three off-season knee surgeries.
Geelong players will meet on the Gold Coast this Friday for a four-day training session over their bye weekend to avoid the wintry Victorian conditions.
While a number of Guthrie's teammates are already enjoying their mid-season break in the Sunshine State, Guthrie has been hard at work.
"I've been hanging around the footy club because I've missed a fair bit of footy, getting a bit of training in and hopefully preparing myself for what I think will be an exciting second half of the year.
"Everyone's looking forward to getting up there, it's been a bit fresh down here. It'll be nice to get a little bit of a change of scenery."
Guthrie joined brother Zach (extension until 2020) in re-committing to the Cats and said it was always his intention to remain at GMHBA Stadium despite speculation of a standstill.
"There were a few different things that were reported that I didn't think were quite accurate," he said.
"I guess as part of a negotiation, there's a bit of back and forth but that was all quite healthy in the reports I got back from my management.
"In the end we hit a sweet spot and it was done, which was great."
The Cats will be aiming to win their first game after the mid-season bye since 2011 when they face the Dogs on Friday, June 29 at Etihad Stadium.