The future of Zak Butters was a hot topic on the opening day of trade period
Zak Butters before Port Adelaide’s clash with Carlton in round 23, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos
PORT Adelaide has denied Zak Butters floated the idea of a trade as Geelong and the Western Bulldogs both confirmed they would be interested in the star midfielder.
Butters has one year to run on his contract at the Power and will be a free agent at the end of 2026.
Power list boss Jason Cripps on Monday said vice-captain Butters will “100 per cent” be at Port Adelaide next season, and hopefully well into the future.
“We want Zak to be at the club for the next 10 years, and that will be our sole focus at the right time,” Cripps said.
“Zak’s really happy, 100 per cent committed to the club and a super important player for our future.”
Cripps denied Port’s three-time best-and-fairest winner had raised the prospect of a move to a Victorian club.
“Zak has never broached the idea of being traded,” Cripps said.
“We’ve had ongoing discussions with Zak and his management group … as we do with all our players, in particular our interstate players, over the journey.
“We’ll continue to have those discussions with those players, but as I said, Zak is 100 per cent committed and happy at the club.”
Butters grew up a Dogs supporter in Melbourne’s western suburbs.
“You do take that extra interest and admire what he’s been able to do,” Bulldogs men’s football manager Sam Power said.
“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.”
Geelong football manager Andrew Mackie is keeping “really close tabs” on Butters.
“He’s a gun. We’d love him (but) so would 17 other clubs, including Port Adelaide,” Mackie said.
“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.”