Zak Butters addresses the biggest AFL contract question of the season, while rivals are circling an uncontracted Saint “like sharks” and an emerging Dog is attracting interest.

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BUTTERS ‘NEED TO START HAVING CONVERSATIONS’ WITH FAMILY

In-demand Port Adelaide star Zak Butters says he needs to begin conversations with loved ones around a call on his footy future, which will be an “emotional” decision.

Butters has been in scintillating form so far in 2026, despite the Power’s 3-7 start. He’s the No.8 rated played in the competition, ranking fifth for disposals (31.0), eighth for inside 50s (5.7) and ninth for contested possessions (12.4).

The 25-year-old’s output hasn’t been hindered by his looming contract call, with Butters eligible for free agency at season’s end. Subsequently, he’s attracting multimillion-dollar offers from Victorian-based clubs, with the Western Bulldogs and Geelong seen as the most likely suitors should he wish to return to Victoria.

Speaking to reporters ahead of his 150th game on Saturday night against Carlton, Butters said he would visit family home in Darley during the Power’s bye weekend.

“Honestly, I haven’t even spoke to my family too much about it to be honest,” Butters said on Wednesday.

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“I have just really enjoyed having them at games and playing footy.

“I always said I’d probably think about it more in the back half of the year.

“I think 150 games, it creeps up on you quickly, so it’s probably something I need to start having conversations about it with family and friends and people I’m closest to.”

Butters said deciding where he wanted to play in 2027 and beyond was “obviously a big decision”.

“You think about everything … there’s emotion attached to it, definitely,” he said.

“No matter what, the decision is going to be a pretty emotional one for mine no matter what I do.

“I feel like you go through a number of emotions, up and down, what could be, what can’t be, what you want to do. But yeah it’s a pretty tough decision.”

MASS INTEREST IN UNCONTRACTED SAINT

Rival clubs are “circling like sharks” as emerging St Kilda star Darcy Wilson weighs up his footy future, according to Midweek Tackle panellist Jon Ralph.

Wilson is in career-best form almost halfway through his third season, kicking nine goals and averaging 20.3 disposals from his nine matches so far.

But Wilson, who was taken at Pick 18 in the 2023 draft, has yet to re-sign with St Kilda, with the 20-year-old’s three-year draft contract due to expire at season’s end. He isn’t expected to enter contract talks for a little while yet.

Foxfooty.com.au reported earlier this month Wilson was one of the most in-demand uncontracted players in the AFL, with “easily more than half the league interested in acquiring his services”. North Melbourne and Adelaide, in particular, have been heavily linked to Wilson.

Speaking on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle, CODE Sports reporter Ralph said the Saints faced a delicate salary balancing act to retain Wilson.

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“They are circling like sharks. Everyone wants a piece of the uncontracted Darcy Wilson,” Ralph told Midweek Tackle on Tuesday night.

“I’m sure he’s been put out there in terms of trying to secure maximum dollars with clubs like North Melbourne interested.

“The St Kilda view is diametrically opposed, that he’s telling them how much he loves the club, he’s getting serious midfield minutes and he’s got a really close relationship with his former development boss in Lenny Hayes, who’s the current footy boss and probably the bloke who’ll help with contract negotiations.

“When you pay Nas (Wanganeen-Milera) $2 million, you pay (Sam) Flanders $900,000, you pay Matteas Phillipou according to reports $1 million, what’s he (Wilson) worth? He’s clearly worth $1.2 million to $1.3 million to a North Melbourne, but what do St Kilda pay to keep him?”

EMERGING DOG ATTRACTING INTEREST

The Western Bulldogs have tabled a fresh deal for the uncontracted Arty Jones, but rival clubs have flagged interest in the emerging forward, reports Josh Gabelich of AFL Media.

Jones, who was taken with Pick 43 in the 2021 draft, has been on the fringes of the Bulldogs’ senior team for most of his four-and-a-half seasons at the club, but has shown promising signs in his five games so far this season.

The 22-year-old kicked three goals against the Bombers in Round 4 and has averaged 15.3 disposals from his past three matches.

Merrett calls for patience for Bombers | 01:39

AFL Media reported the Dogs were keen to secure Jones on a new deal promptly, but added West Coast was “among a handful of clubs” monitoring his contract situation.

Amid the Bulldogs’ recent on-ball woes, dual premiership Kangaroos David King on Sunday night urged coach Luke Beveridge to give Jones midfield minutes.

“Can I give you one wildcard? Arty Jones on the dancefloor. Put him in the middle,” King told Fox Footy’s First Crack.

“It doesn’t look conventional, but the best midfielders at the moment haven’t looked conventional when you first (expose them in the midfield).

“Put him, close your eyes a couple of times and see how he goes. Never been in at a centre bounce, so throw him in and have a look.”