Port Adelaide star Zak Butters will not be traded this year. Butters has declared he will remain at Alberton for the final year of his contract. The Power have also confirmed that stance.
Yet, there is growing speculation he will test the market next year as a free agent, where many – if not all – teams will have interest in the gun midfielder.
Here’s a sample of what’s been said so far about the lad from Melbourne’s western suburbs who grew up a Bulldogs supporter.
The Power won’t be trading star midfielder Zak Butters this week.Credit: Getty Images
Geelong football manager Andrew Mackie: “He’s a gun. We’d love him [but] so would 17 other clubs, including Port Adelaide. So, as far as we’re concerned, he’s a contracted player, and we haven’t spent too much time on it, other than admiring his football from where we sit.”
Bulldogs football manager Sam Power: “You do take that extra interest and admire what he’s been able to do. If Zak had a wish to return to Victoria I think he’d have every Victorian club looking at that. But at this stage he’s contracted, and we haven’t heard anything different to that.”
Power list boss Jason Cripps: “We want Zak to be at the club for the next 10 years, and that will be our sole focus at the right time. Zak’s really happy, 100 per cent committed to the club and a super important player for our future.”
So, while the primary focus for most, if not all, clubs remains this week’s trade period, and the November national draft, those clubs keen to pursue Butters next year will also be cognisant of needing to have the arsenal to get a trade done.
Essendon are expected to be a suitor, Butters having played golf last week in Melbourne with Darcy Parish and Sam Durham.
For those clubs set to chase Butters, any deal will probably start with two first-round selections, with each potentially needing to be in the top 10, should Butters declare he wants to head home to Victoria.
It’s worth keeping a close eye on your club this week to determine what it will have – at least at this point – to chase the silky onballer.
