IF there were three words to describe Cam Guthrie’s initial AFL experience they would be short, sweet and unexpected.

Taken by Geelong with the 23rd pick of last year’s national draft, Guthrie was pitched in for his AFL debut in Round 1 against St Kilda and kept his place for Round 2 against Fremantle.

That was the end of the AFL road for Guthrie, a graduate of the Calder Cannons TAC Cup program, this season as he went down to the VFL to continue learning the game at the elite level.

Some young players might have discouraged to have played AFL so early and not been able to return to the team, but Guthrie took it all in his stride.

“It was good to get a taste of senior footy and I’d love to get back in at some stage,” Guthrie said. “I’m not disappointed. You want to play senior footy every week, but I’m playing a good standard of footy at VFL level and think I’ve developed more as a player at VFL level than if I would have played AFL a bit more.

“You’d like to be in every week, but that’s just the way it goes sometimes. I probably didn’t think I would play (AFL) as early as Round 1 and 2, but when I got the call I was pretty happy and excited and looked forward to it and did my best and now I just want to get back out there as soon as possible.”

Level headed and well spoken, Guthrie has been used mainly as a high defender - a back flanker in the old language - with the odd spell in midfield and on the wing.

Having won the Cannons best and fairest last year playing in defence, the transition to a similar role with Geelong’s VFL team has been relatively smooth for Guthrie as he looks to run out the backline to launch attacks.

“I’ve been playing mainly back and trying to play accountable footy and trying to get a bit of footy when it’s my turn as well,” Guthrie said. “It’s a bit of a transition from Under-18 footy to VFL and AFL and learning to play against the bigger bodies was the thing I had to get used to most, I guess.”

But the bottom line for Guthrie is that, regardless of whether he was playing AFL or VFL, season 2011 was going to be about becoming a better footballer and he feels like he has achieved that.

“Absolutely,” Guthrie said. “When you’re at a club like the Cats and taking part in the program they’ve got in place it would be hard not to improve. My footy has improved this year and hopefully I can improve on that again next year.”

While Geelong’s VFL team has just one game left in its season and will not be playing in the finals, some of the players will be retained to train in an AFL squad for the finals.

To be involved in such a situation would be a bonus for Guthrie and an excellent experience and kick-start for 2012 and a shot at adding to his two AFL games.

“That hasn’t been discussed with the players yet, but I’d love to train with the main group heading into finals,” Guthrie said. “I think it would be a really exciting time to be around the club.”

After that, Guthrie will make sure he stays in good shape during the off-season so he can return to full training ready to hit the ground running and again be knocking on the selection door for Round 1.