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Cameron Guthrie, the man who inherited Gary Ablett's number at Geelong, is finding his feet, writes WARWICK GREEN
FOR Cameron Guthrie it's all about learning.
At university, at home, at Simonds Stadium and during games, the 19-year-old is constantly studying in an attempt to improve himself.
It starts at the Torquay house he has shared, since February, with teammate Joel Corey. There are certain benefits to having a three-time premiership player sitting on the couch when you settle in of an evening and flick on the footy.
"He watches a lot of football," Corey said, "Whereas I'm not a massive one for watching a lot of games. But on the night before a game we seem to find ourselves kicking back and watching some live footy and picking up on a few different things. We discuss the games and the different aspects of the game."
Corey described his housemate as "quiet, very focused and respectful".
"He wants to learn and if you were to ask anyone at the football club, that would be one of the first things they'd say about him. He's very dedicated."
In terms of formal study, Guthrie spends a day a week driving home to Sunbury to do a Health Sciences course at La Trobe University.
Don't tell his lecturers, but it is his football education that commands most of Guthrie's attention.
The football lessons began early in life. His father, Andrew Merryweather, played a handful of AFL games in the 1980s.
"He played one at Fitzroy (in 1982), went back and played local footy and got a second chance at Essendon, where he played five games in 1988, mainly as a defender," Guthrie said.
"He...