A South Australian legend has made a bold call on Zak Butters’ future.
Plus defiant Michael Voss has faced the media ahead of Carlton’s crunch Gather Round clash against Adelaide. MORE IN AFL DAILY.
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‘99 PER CENT’: SA GREAT’S BOLD BUTTERS PREDICTION
AFL and South Australian legend Mark Ricciuto suspects Port Adelaide gun Zak Butters is a “99 per cent chance” of returning to Victoria this off-season.
Butters is in the final year of his contract at Alberton and is widely expected to spark a war for his signature at season’s end.
Western Bulldogs look the most likely suitor, given Butters’ desire to be close to his regional Victorian hometown of Darley.
Ricciuto says the Power will have to decide between their proven stars and the carrot of a rapid rebuild before Tasmania enters the draft.
“Oh, look, all I can go on is what I get told from everyone and everyone says he’s probably a 99 per cent chance of going,” Ricciuto said.
“But, the list managers at Port Adelaide might offer him another half a million a year on top, I don’t know.
“It depends how desperate they get, they might offer him, who knows, $2.5 million or something.
“Everyone is throwing $2 million out there as the magic figure for Melbourne (clubs), well, Port Adelaide might go ‘have two and a half’.
“They might let him go and say ‘let’s get as many picks as we can’ and do the rebuild.
“Chad Cornes reckons (Mitch) Georgiades might go, does he go this year and they get four, five top-round picks before Tasmania compromise the draft?
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but if you listen to the rumour mill, the rumour mill says he’s going.”
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 04: Zak Butters of the Power leads his team out onto the field during the round four AFL match between Richmond Tigers and Port Adelaide Power at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on April 04, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The Brownlow Medallist and eight-time All Australian has backed the ‘Always respect, always DrinkWise campaign’ ahead of this year’s Gather Round.
Ricciuto is urging supporters to “look after your mates” across the big weekend in South Australia.
— NCA NewsWire
‘ASKED THE SAME QUESTION’: UNDER-SIEGE VOSS DEFIANT
In the heat of another pressure-filled press conference, Carlton coach Michael Voss answers one question without hesitation.
“Oh mate, absolutely,” Voss says sharply, when asked if the spirit of his group is still strong despite the Blues’ poor second halves.
Voss has been under pressure since Round 1 last year and it increased last week after Carlton lost its ninth game in that time frame after leading at half-time.
“The message is really clear: Don’t make it bigger than what it is and still value the really important things we want in our game. There’s really no other conversation – not in here anyway,” he said.
“All these things that get talked about, ultimately we’ve got a really important task this week – and that’s the weekend. It’ll be the same next week and the week after that.”
Asked by Fox Sports News’ David Zita if he was aware of the external narrative surrounding the Blues and his own coaching tenure, Voss said: “Again I don’t pay any attention to it. You’ve been here the last three weeks and you’ve asked the same question every single week. So at some point in time you’ve just got to get on with the task at hand and what’s what we’re doing.”
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A coach’s job security under siege is often decided by the spirit or the endeavour of the side as much as the expected results.
But Voss, in front of another populated press pack at Princes Park on Tuesday morning, is certain there’s a hungry squad at his disposal.
“The key part is doing it when it’s getting tougher and how do we still execute when we need to through those critical times,” Voss added.
“Everything is telling me, if you look at behind-the-goal vision, the little things, being there for each other has been a real positive for us.
“You’ve also got to do it for the entirety of the game and that’s what we’ve been challenged on.
“Some of that stuff has come up, some of those have been important conversations to have.
“But, like I said, we’re not walking away with four points so you’ve got 80 per cent of your work that you’re happy with but there’s 20 per cent clearly letting us down.”
The Blues are 1-3, having suffered defeats to Sydney, Melbourne and most recently North Melbourne on Good Friday.
A loss to Sydney was expected but the defeats to the Demons and Kangaroos, especially with their grip on the game, have stung.
Voss is aware the criticism comes with under-delivering from winnable positions, but is searching for a way to keep it from penetrating the four walls of the club.
“We’re not winning, so you obviously expect some level of scrutiny,” he said.
“You appreciate that’s what’s going to happen every single week when you come off a game you should win and don’t end up finishing the job.
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“But also what you have to do is continue to look at what’s real and what’s not real, some of that you have to factor in – you can’t ignore it.
“At the same time, when you’re committed to what’s important to you, you tend to give that more voice.
“That’s the challenge for us: how do you give voice to what’s happening inside, celebrate people but also still have the high standards and accountability that’s needed.
“We’ve got to understand there’s going to be continued dialogue and analysis that always happens around teams, it certainly happens here.
“But within all that, how do you still as a performer lock in on what you need to do and put all that aside for a couple hours a week and look at your teammate besides you and stand up for them.
“If anything, there’s an opportunity in that and we’ve got to take that opportunity.
Carlton takes on Adelaide this Thursday night to kick off Gather Round.
— NCA NewsWire
WIFE OF MERRETT’S SOCIAL MEDIA POST UNDER SCRUTINY
An act from Zach Merrett’s wife over the weekend has raised eyebrows.
Alexandra Merrett took to social media to indicate she’d left the Western Bulldogs’ win over Essendon at Marvel Stadium on Sunday night at half-time, when the Bombers were trailing by 54 points.
She posted a video to TikTok showing herself sipping a glass of wine, presumably at Melbourne restaurant Gimlet, with the caption: “When your husband’s team is losing by 50 points at halftime so you go to Gimlet instead.”
Alexandra Merrett left the game Sunday night to go to Gimlet. (Picture: TikTok)Source: FOX SPORTS
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The winless Bombers fought back in the second half to reduce the full-time deficit to a more respectable 34 points.
It comes after Zach Merrett sensationally tried to walk out on the club in the off-season but had his trade request to Hawthorn denied after the two clubs couldn’t strike a deal.
The star midfielder has since relinquished the captaincy to Andy McGrath.
Former Carlton captain Sam Docherty was critical of the post from Merrett’s wife, given the narrative that’s surrounded him and the club in recent months.
“The fact of the matter is it’s just really not helping Zach’s relationship mend with the fans,” Docherty said on 3AW radio.
“They’re distractions, I know this is how life is these days, but is putting that up really worth the scrutiny your husband is going to get? I don’t think so.
“I wouldn’t have been overly happy with it. There’s so much media scrutiny already on AFL footy, you just don’t need that added.
“Especially for something like that. What’s anyone actually gaining from putting that up online? I don’t know.”
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McGrath said he “wasn’t aware” of the post but downplayed it.
“I don’t have much of a view on it. What people do in their private lives is up to them. We know fully well that Zach is fully bought into what we’re doing. He’s as passionate as I’ve ever seen him,” McGrath said on 3AW earlier.
“I think his second half last night really shows where he’s at mentally and where he wants to take this club. His pressure, his connection with guys, is all we go off.
“But nah, I’m not really across the off-field social media stuff.”
CRUCICAL ACT THAT WENT UNDER THE RADAR IN EASTER MONDAY THRILLER
There were so many big moments that decided the Easter Monday thriller.
But there’s one key moment that Demons legend Garry Lyon believes went under the radar in helping get the Hawks over the line.
With Hawthorn down by six points with around a minute and a half left in the fourth quarter, Ned Reeves palmed it down to Jai Newcombe for a pure centre clearance.
It led to Mitch Lewis’ goal that tied up the scores with less than a minute remaining in a crucial passage of play that kept the Hawks alive.
“That ruck tap from Ned Reeves to Newcombe … it’s as good a passage as you’ve seen this year for the consequence,” Lyon said on Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
“He got clean hand on it, Newcombe got clean ball and went bang forward, Lewis kicks a goal.
“Otherwise the game is over.”
Ned Reeves linked up with Jai Newcombe in a crucial passage.Source: FOX SPORTSNed Reeves linked up with Jai Newcombe in a crucial passage.Source: FOX SPORTSNed Reeves linked up with Jai Newcombe in a crucial passage.Source: FOX SPORTS
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Responding to the moment, Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said the Reeves-Lloyd Meek ruck combo have “worked really well together” in what’s been a big adjustment to having five on the bench.
“It’s obviously very different for them, they play a lot of time on the bench,” Mitchell said on AFL 360.
“It’s very different to what you’ve done before and it’s a long time since you’ve had 50 or 60 per cent game time for players.
“One of the challenges with five on the interchange is the rotation cap hasn’t gone up. So someone has to spend the time on the bench.
“You can take our a ruckman and put out another runner, but they can’t stay out on the field anyway.
“By having the rucks off, you’re keeping your running profile on the field.
“We know the way the game is being played currently, it suits us, we want as much run in the game as we can get.”
STEELE ‘LOVING’ TIME AT DEES AFTER SAINTS TRADE
Jack Steele says he’s “loving” his time at the Demons after he “hadn’t really enjoyed footy” over the last two years at St Kilda.
Steele has been arguably the recruit of the year in a hot start to life at Melbourne.
The ex-Saints skipper was among the Demons’ best in their upset win over Gold Coast as Steven King’s side improved to 3-1.
“I’m loving it, I’m really loving it,” he told 3AW post-match.
“It’s great fun. We’ve got a great group of boys, get to play at the MCG most weeks.
“I’m so bloody pumped.”
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Steele said the role he was promised upon crossing over to Melbourne was to be a “senior, defensive midfielder” to support the likes of Kysaiah Pickett and Caleb Windsor on and off the field.
And Steele also simply wanted to get back to “enjoying footy”.
“That’s something I told ‘Kingy’ I wanted to do,” he added.
“I hadn’t really enjoyed footy my last two years.
“He just said he wants to help me get back to my best playing and really find the love of the game again.
“That was really the message, it was pretty simple. So far, so good.”