Zak Butters has been linked to the likes of the Western Bulldogs, Collingwood Magpies, Richmond Tigers and Hawthorn Hawks, but he doesn’t think the footy world is ready for NRL-style player movement
Steve Larkin
Zak Butters says the AFL isn’t ready for NRL-style honesty about player movement as he weighs offers to become his code’s richest footballer.
Port Adelaide’s acting captain says he’s laughing off some of the reported offers while remaining steadfast in not deciding his future until season’s end.
Butters believes the AFL landscape isn’t yet equipped for NRL scenarios where some players announce in-season their decision to switch clubs.
“I just don’t think it’s the right way to go about it,” Butters told reporters on Tuesday.
“I feel like the [AFL] league is probably not quite ready for it.
“You look at the NRL and the chaos that causes with contracts and player movement and whatnot – I’d probably tend to stick away from it.”
Butters has consistently said he won’t make his decision until he is off-contract with Port at the end of the season.
“Obviously, the rounds are counting down now towards the end of the season, so it gets closer and closer,” he said.
“But for mine, nothing has really changed.
“I’ll still make my decision at the end of the year and sit down with the club and my manager.”
The Western Bulldogs, who Victorian-born Butters supported as a kid, are considered frontrunners for the AFL’s most sought-after signature.
Perennial contenders Geelong, a constant destination for some of the league’s biggest names, also lurk.
Hawthorn, Collingwood, Melbourne, Essendon and Richmond have also expressed interest in the 25-year-old who has won Port’s club champion award for the past three seasons and is odds-on to collect a fourth this year.
The rumoured offers are the highest in AFL history, with Richmond’s said to be around at $18 million over eight years – an eye-watering $2.25m per season.
“For mine … 99 per cent of the time you just laugh it off – it is what it is,” Butters said of the speculation.
Bulldogs boss Luke Beveridge is among coaches to openly talk about luring Butters, public comments that have rankled Port.
Power coach Josh Carr recently had a dig at Beveridge’s most recent comments on Butters, saying it’s not how Port would operate.
“That’s something I can’t really control for myself,” Butters said.
“But I think Josh probably said it pretty well, that we wouldn’t do that at our football club, he wouldn’t speak about players like that as well – and that’s something I respect about Josh.”
Port won’t yet give up on keeping Butters but promise to match any offer for the restricted free agent, and thereby force a trade should he leave.
“I think all you guys [media] talk about it more than me,” Butters said.
“When I’m in my circle, my friends and family, they don’t really talk about it too much.
“And the footy club has been great – my coaches, my teammates, staff, I couldn’t fault the footy club one bit and that’s why I guess I love playing footy there and love going to work there.
“For me, I’m still a 25-year-old kid who’s just trying to get better at footy, so it’s pretty simple.”
Butters said even if he had made a decision he wouldn’t announce it after the season finished.
AAP
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