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The clubs best placed to lure Zak Butters
SEN • October 22nd, 2025 2:42 pm
Which AFL clubs have the capital to land Zak Butters?
With just one year remaining on his current deal, the superstar Port Adelaide midfielder has already shown significant interest in changing colours in 2027.
The Victorian-born star reportedly floated the concept of a trade prior to the 2025 AFL Trade Period, with Port swiftly shutting down all prospects of the midfielder leaving the club.
However, it is widely expected that following the 2026 season, Butters will request to return home.
With his contract expiring at the conclusion of next season, the Power will have the ability to match any contract offer tabled for Butters, forcing any interested sides into a trade for the superstar's services.
But what would satisfy Port Adelaide?
Throughout the 2025 Trade Period, several mega deals were floated between clubs for wantaway contracted players. Essendon demanded four first-round picks at a minimum for 30-year-old Zach Merrett, while 28-year-old Charlie Curnow landed at the Swans for three first-round picks and a first-team walk-up in Will Hayward.
Butters - a three-time best and fairest, two-time All-Australian, AFLCA Champion Player of the Year, two-time AFLPA Most Courageous and Port Adelaide vice-captain - will be just 26 years of age at the time of his contract expiration.
So, what gets a deal done? And more importantly, which AFL teams have the capacity to satisfy that deal?
Kane Cornes and Sam Edmund debated the subject on SEN Breakfast.
“There’s a balance here and I wouldn’t be absolutely selling everything for one player,” Cornes said.
“I’d be quite excited about the prospect of rebuilding your footy club with the biggest trade - probably double what we’ve ever seen before in terms of what Port Adelaide will get for him.
“Of course you want him to stay, absolutely you try to convince him to within reason.
“It’s a good storyline to follow next year. I think the value of trades, and how much they’ve exploded… when Port got (Jason) Horne-Francis I think it was Pick 8 and 16. That’s one of the biggest bargains ever.
“Now that we’ve seen what Curnow, Petracca and Merrett is worth - they’re all the equivalent of about Pick 1 - what is going to be a reasonable deal for Zak Butters?
“Because this is going to be a trade. Don’t think of Zak Butters as a free agent, he’s not. Port Adelaide have the money, they will match any deal whatever it is.
“So what is the trade going to look like and how many clubs does it rule out?
“It rules out Collingwood, they’re out. They cannot come up with Pick 1, so don’t think that Zak Butters is going to play for Collingwood. He’s out.
“Clubs that put their hand up for Zak have to know that they can get a deal done. If it’s 7 and 8 for Petracca, if it’s three firsts and a fringe player for Merrett, if it’s three firsts and a couple of players for Curnow essentially - what is it for Zak Butters?”
The pair then assessed which clubs are best placed to lure Butters from Alberton.
Edmund: “Collingwood are out, Essendon are in, I can’t see how Geelong would have the capital to do it.
Cornes: “Hawthorn is in. The Cats, unless they’re going to put up O’Sullivan or (other young guns), which they’re not, so they’re out.”
Edmund: “Melbourne would be in.”
Cornes: “Why I thought the Western Bulldogs missed - and I’m not critical of this because I don’t think you want to give up good young players like Ryley Sanders - but if Adelaide were keen on Sanders you could have got a top-10 future pick for him potentially to accumulate those assets.
“But that’s a big risk as well. You’d want confirmation that Zak was pretty keen to come to your footy club.
“Carlton are in, Hawthorn are in, Essendon are in - I think that’s probably the only three.”
Edmund: “Essendon could have really set themselves up by actually trading Zach Merrett and getting the capital back to set them up for Butters. They might be able to do it anyway of course.
“Carlton seem the most well set pick-wise, because they’re the only club in the history of the game to have six first-rounders spread across three seasons.”
Cornes: “Is it two top-five picks? Is he worth it? Would you do it?”
Edmund: “I’m splitting hairs but does he get banged up a bit.
“He’s a pinball in there and he gets hurt a lot.”
Cornes: “If I’m a Port Adelaide person I don’t want to lose Zak Butters with the way he plays and carries himself.
“I think they need a rest and I think this will force their hand. I would be quite excited to have the ability to get two picks inside 10 and another inside 15 to completely rebuild.”
