WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n AFL PUTS CLUBS ON NOTICE IN WATCH ON BUTTERS DEAL<\/p>\n The AFL says it will \u201cscrutinise\u201d every deal this trade period amid suggestions Port Adelaide could get free agency compensation for Zak Butters and more in a separate trade.<\/p>\n Speaking on Channel 9 this week, AFL Media reporter Cal Twomey said Pick 5 \u2014 the compensation selection the Power would receive if it allowed Butters to leave as a free agent \u2014 could \u201cbecome a part of the overall transaction and package that will end up going to Port Adelaide.\u201d<\/p>\n It would effectively see the Power utilise a loophole and get both the Pick 5 compensation and more draft assets in a win-win for them and the club that lands Butters.<\/p>\n That club is still yet to be determined, for Butters hasn\u2019t nominated a team amid interest from Geelong, the Western Bulldogs and Richmond as the free agent seeks a return to Victoria.<\/p>\n Zak Butters is seeking a move back to Victoria (Photo by James Elsby\/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n Speaking on SEN\u2019s Fireball on Friday, AFL footy boss Greg Swann said \u201call the deals have got to stand up on their merit\u201d and will be audited as per usual.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s see what happens. If Zak goes and (Port) take the compensation pick and then there\u2019s a trade for another player or trades for picks, it\u2019s got to stand up,\u201d Swann said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll just monitor that and see what it looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n Swann said clubs would be on notice like any other year to ensure everything is above board.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a bit like, for which we got slammed for, when we sent the letter out to say don\u2019t rest too many players (in Round 24) and everyone lost their minds. We do the same thing with trades … we do that every year,\u201d Swann added.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery deal gets scrutinised. We talk to clubs and record with each party what the deal was, if there\u2019s anything else behind it, if there\u2019s any side deals or anything else involved.<\/p>\n \u201cWe always do that, so we\u2019ll remind clubs again that\u2019s the process and just monitor it as it happens.\u201d<\/p>\n $4M MERRETT PLAY AS PRELIM HAWKS TO POWER UP<\/p>\n Hawthorn is powering on with big trade and free agency plans as becomes the firs team to advance to a preliminary final. <\/p>\n AFL Media reports the Hawks\u2019 list management team is working behind the scenes to secure Suns free agent Ben King and Essendon star Zach Merrett to beef up Sam Mitchell\u2019s side for 2027.<\/p>\n Hawthorn has reportedly tabled Merrett a four-year deal worth around $4 million in total, which would run until 2030, when Merrett turns 35.<\/p>\n Sicily lets Voss have it after the siren | 00:38<\/p>\n As Merrett is contracted for 2027, he\u2019d need to be acquired via trade.<\/p>\n It\u2019s believed Essendon will net less for Merrett than it was offered in last year\u2019s failed deal, with Hawthorn expected to table its 2026 first-round pick and one of its second-rounders, potentially two.<\/p>\n King is set to nominate Hawthorn as his free agency destination in a move that would likely see Gold Coast secure Pick 7 as compensation.<\/p>\n The report states the Suns are also exploring moves for young Hawks talls Aidan Schubert and Noah Mraz amid a key position player squeeze at Dingley, with young forward Calsher Dear also drawing rival interest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The AFL says it will \u201cscrutinise\u201d every deal this trade period following reports surrounding a unique Zak Butters…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":879277,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[638,64,63,55,639,85],"class_list":["post-879276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-afl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=879276"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879276\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/879277"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=879276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=879276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=879276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788495974_708_poster-fallback.png\"\/)
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