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Doubts over Butters’ Port Adelaide future as Victorian rivals circle
Connor Scanlon • April 2nd, 2025 4:07 pm
Port Adelaide star Zak Butters is drawing increasing interest from several Victorian clubs, raising questions about his future beyond 2025.
Butters is contracted until the end of 2026, but Hawthorn, Collingwood, Essendon and Richmond are among the clubs looking to sign him at the end of this season, while the Western Bulldogs have previously been linked.
SEN SA’s The Run Home duo of Kym Dillon and Michelangelo Rucci discussed the growing speculation surrounding Butters’ future, with the latter confirming the extent of interest from Victoria.
“Zak Butters is drawing attention from Victorian clubs this year,” Rucci said.
“The offers are going to be enormous.”
However, he believes the interest is far greater than just four clubs.
“It’s more than four clubs,” he added.
Rucci emphasised that the Power must act quickly to secure a better deal out of Butters who becomes a restricted free agent in 2026.
“The issue here is, if you’re sitting on the list management team at Port Adelaide, you need to get a commitment from Zak Butters this year,” he explained.
“Because if you find he is going to take the free agency path out of Port Adelaide, you’re going to get a better deal now than you will in 12 months’ time.”
Dillon raised a crucial point about Butters' potential loyalty to the club following Port Adelaide’s coach Ken Hinkley’s departure at the end of this season.
“The obvious question is, is Zak staying after (Ken Hinkley’s) left?” Dillon questioned.
Hinkley recently assured Port fans that Butters is happy at the club, but the duo noted that similar reassurances were given about Dan Houston last year before his move to Collingwood.
“Dare I say, we thought the same of Dan Houston last year,” Dillon added.
“(Ken Hinkley) said the exact same things about Dan Houston.”
Rucci compared Butters’ situation to Patrick Dangerfield’s move from Adelaide to Geelong in 2015.
“The best example of this situation is Patrick Dangerfield at Adelaide,” he said.
“Where he goes to David Noble (and) makes it very clear that he wanted to return home to Geelong.”
Dillon remained skeptical about Butters' long-term future at Alberton.
“I don’t think he’s staying,” he admitted.
SEN Chief Footy Reporter Sam Edmund later joined the conversation, weighing in on Butters’ looming contract decision.
“Well, it’s going to be massive. If he’s going to leave, it’s going to be an enormous offer,” Edmund told SEN SA’s The Run Home.
However, he emphasised that money would not be the determining factor.
“If you’re staying at Port Adelaide… it’s going to be his biggest deal," Edmund said.
“He’s going to be well paid at Port Adelaide, very well paid over here (Victoria), money won’t be an issue.
“I think it’s just about where he wants to play his football.”
Edmund noted that Butters’ management is already in talks with interested parties.
“His management right now, I’m sure, would be gathering all the information from all those clubs,” Edmund said.
“He will have a big decision to make.”
Two-time John Cahill Medallist and two-time All-Australian Butters has been sidelined by a knee injury and is a test for this week's clash with St Kilda at the Adelaide Oval.
Edmund also touched on the future of Butters' teammate Miles Bergman, confirming the Saints as the frontrunners for his signature.
“(St Kilda) are front and centre here,” Edmund stated.
“They are having a really good go at Miles Bergman, they have done in the past.
“They’ve identified him absolutely this time (for the trade period).”
With two of Port Adelaide’s stars potentially on the move, the club faces a critical period in securing their future and fending off Victorian interest.
