Zak Butters to Leave Port Adelaide for Victoria

Zak Butters Declares Free-Agency Move

Zak Butters, 25, has formally requested to leave Port Adelaide through the free-agency system to return to his home state of Victoria. The dual All-Australian and three-time John Cahill Medallist said the decision was not made lightly and that he wanted to spend more time with family and friends.

Lucrative Offers on the Table

Reports indicate that Richmond, Geelong, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs have each offered up to $18 million over eight years for the midfielder. The Power said it would match any bid and force a trade to maximise draft capital.

Player’s Statement

In a statement to the media, Butters said, “I’ve made a decision to head home. It’s obviously been one that I’ve wrestled with for a while now.” He added, “Although I’ve loved my time in Adelaide … I’m probably at a stage in my life where I’d like to get back around some family and friends and enjoy some more time with them.” He also thanked the club, saying, “I will always be a Port Adelaide person and will always value this club and what it’s done for me.”

Club’s Response

Port Adelaide issued a statement confirming that it had been informed by Butters and his management of his intention to exercise his restricted free-agent rights. The club said it would facilitate the request while securing the best outcome for the club. “Zak has been an outstanding servant to the football club since debuting in 2019,” the statement read.

Season Impact

Butters played 17 games this season before a syndesmosis injury in Round 18 prematurely ended his campaign. Coach Josh Carr noted that the star midfielder was likely departing after the club’s 10-point win over Essendon on the weekend.

Club’s Stance on Bids

Chief executive Matthew Richardson told ABC Sport in May that the club would match any bid and that this would give the club control over the outcome. “There will be offers that we can match and we will match. It does give the club a fair bit of control in what happens,” he said.

Concrete Detail

Butters’ 17-game tally and the syndesmosis injury in Round 18 are the most recent concrete facts surrounding his departure, underscoring the abrupt end to his season and the club’s focus on securing the best possible outcome through matching bids and trade negotiations.