Western Bulldogs player Joel Freijah said it would be an “honour” to play with Zak Butters, should the Port Adelaide gun opt to make the move to Whitten Oval next year.
Butters was back in the spotlight for the wrong reasons after collecting Freijah high in the final term of his side’s agonising two-point loss to the Western Bulldogs on Friday night.
Despite a dominant individual performance, Butters faces a nervous wait for the Match Review Officer’s (MRO) findings, but it seems the two players have no ill-will towards each other after the incident.
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“We’ll see what happens, whether he stays or comes,” Freijah told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“He’s a great fella, Zakky, and a great player as well.
“It would be an honour to play with him.
Zak Butters leads his team off after their loss to the Western Bulldogs. via Getty Images
“I was in Ballarat, and he’s a Darley boy, so I’ve come across him a few times, and we’ve obviously played against each other.
“Zak’s a ruthless competitor.
“It’s great playing against guys like that.”
The incident added a layer of irony to the contest, as the Bulldogs are touted to be heavily linked to Butters as a primary free-agency target.
Butters finished the night with 30 disposals against his potential suitors but may face scrutiny from the match review officer for the final term incident.
While his output was undeniable, Port Adelaide head coach Josh Carr remained cautious regarding the potential suspension.
Zak Butters is on notice for this high contact. Fox Footy
“I haven’t watched the replay (but) my initial thoughts are that I don’t think he got him high, but I haven’t had a look at it close enough,” Carr said post-match.
The hit, which looked to ricochet into Freijah’s jaw, was a couple of centimetres away from a disastrous outcome, given Butters went out of his way to bump his opponent, but the Bulldogs’ player got straight back up and played on.
“He definitely goes to bump – so if you go to bump, you cop the consequences – whatever happens,” Mark Ricciuto said on Fox Footy post-game.
“Most of it’s in the chest – I think he’s fine. If he’s unlucky, he might get another fine.”
This incident may have consequences for Butters and cost him the Brownlow for 2026 as the Port star has had a number of serious incidents in 2026, including being fined for “abusive language” towards an umpire.
Zak Butters could be in hot water over his incident in the final quarter. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Earlier in the same match, umpire Daniel Johanson had to be assisted from the ground after a collision with Western Bulldogs star Ed Richards in the first quarter.
With scores tied, it was the Bulldogs that finally found a way forward as Harvey Gallagher snapped a late goal to sink Power hearts for the second week in a row.
The game finished 10.14 (74) to 10.12 (72), handing the Bulldogs a healthy momentum boost before they head to Marvel Stadium to face Carlton next Saturday night.
Port Adelaide take on the Suns on the Gold Coast on Friday.