\n Updated\n <\/p>\n
\n The Match Review findings from Sunday’s round five games are in\n <\/p>\n
Hugo Garcia and Zak Butters in action during St Kilda’s clash against Port Adelaide in round five, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos<\/p>\n
PORT Adelaide will defend star midfielder Zak Butters “in the strongest possible way” after he was sent straight to the Tribunal for verbally abusing an umpire.<\/p>\n
Butters is set to face the Tribunal on Tuesday for allegedly saying “how much are they paying you?” to umpire Nick Foot during Sunday’s match against St Kilda.<\/p>\n
In a statement on Monday, the AFL confirmed Butters had been charged with using ‘Abusive and Insulting Language Towards an Umpire’.<\/p>\n
“Following the match day report during the Third Quarter of Sunday’s match, it is alleged that Butters said to Umpire Nick Foot “How much are they paying you?”,” the AFL said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“The exchange was not picked up on the umpire’s microphone.”<\/p>\n
The Power said they will fight the charge and said “the words used by their acting captain were misheard and misconstrued from what was actually said”.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the club said: “The Port Adelaide Football Club will defend in the strongest possible way the allegations made by AFL umpire Nick Foot against Butters.<\/p>\n
“Port Adelaide believes the words used by Butters were misheard and misconstrued from what was actually said.<\/p>\n
“Acting club captain Butters is unambiguously adamant on what was said and the club strongly supports him and his position.<\/p>\n
“Former club captain and Brownlow Medallist Ollie Wines was standing next to Butters and Foot at the time of the exchange and will provide a witness statement in support of Butters.<\/p>\n
“Port Adelaide is also disappointed that umpire Foot dismissively refused Butters’ attempt to seek clarification post-game, as captain of the club.”<\/p>\n
Zak Butters gathers the ball during the match between Port Adelaide and St Kilda at Adelaide Oval in round five, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos<\/p>\n
Tempers flared in the third quarter at Adelaide Oval when St Kilda’s Mitch Owens was given a free kick for a ruck infringement.<\/p>\n
Port’s Ollie Wines took issue with the decision, as did Butters, who was penalised 50m and reported for abusive language before Owens goaled from close range.<\/p>\n
Butters has denied he said anything untoward to the umpire.<\/p>\n
“I’d love to know the language that I said, because I went up to him after the game to have a chat and he said he didn’t want to speak to me,” Butters told Channel Seven after the match.<\/p>\n
“All I said was, ‘how is that a free kick?’ and he paid 50 and said I’m on report.<\/p>\n
“I had a few teammates there right next to me, Ollie Wines … I’m curious to follow that one up because I’m never going to say anything bad to the umpires.<\/p>\n
“I just wanted to follow up and ask what he thought I said from his end.”<\/p>\n
Elsewhere on Monday, Geelong’s Mark O’Connor was suspended for one match for rough conduct on West Coast young gun Willem Duursma.<\/p>\n
Unless he successfully appeals the decision, O’Connor will miss Friday night’s game against the Western Bulldogs.<\/p>\n
Butters will face the Tribunal on Tuesday, with a time for the hearing yet to be announced.<\/p>\n