Recommitted Zak Butters [RFA 2026] - name was floated for a move in 2025, stayed

[Jonts]

From a port fans view you can't ask anymore of the club now, offered a mega contract so forces the other clubs to pay up but doing so with flexibility for butters

There was a budgeted port would where they had Perryman and Cummings on their list so you'd think cash wouldn't be a deal breaker

 

[RonnieRaven]

You think Judd is twice as good as Butters?
If Judd was traded now he'd be worth about the same as Butters I reckon.

Judd was a premiership captain with a norm smith.
Butters goes missing in finals.
You do big trades to try win a flag not win the home and away.

 

[HugeJohnson]

Judd was a premiership captain with a norm smith.
Butters goes missing in finals.
You do big trades to try win a flag not win the home and away.

Literally played through finals last year with cracked ribs so I think he can be excused for that. 2023 was just a disaster from everyone.. but I'm not sure he 'went missing' with 25 and 29 disposals in his 2 finals. 2021, okay. But it was his 3rd year of football. And it's not like Judd single handedly took the Eagles there in the first place,cthey were loaded with talent. Cox, Cousins, Kerr not bad counterparts in midfield.. who did Butters have to support him? JHF at 21 years old, Rozee who is not on the same level, and Jordon Sweet in ruck.

 

[RonnieRaven]

Literally played through finals last year with cracked ribs so I think he can be excused for that. 2023 was just a disaster from everyone.. but I'm not sure he 'went missing' with 25 and 29 disposals in his 2 finals. 2021, okay. But it was his 3rd year of football. And it's not like Judd single handedly took the Eagles there in the first place,cthey were loaded with talent. Cox, Cousins, Kerr not bad counterparts in midfield.. who did Butters have to support him? JHF at 21 years old, Rozee who is not on the same level, and Jordon Sweet in ruck.

Judd won a norm smith in a gf decided by less than a goal so you can safely say without him they wouldn’t have won it.
Zac ave 16d 2 clearance and has kicked 1 goal in 9 finals
Judd ave 23d 5.5 clearance and kicked 11 goals in 17 finals.
Judd had finals as the lone wolf at Carlton.
I think your down playing support
Not mentioning wines.
Ive seen a few port fans calling your midfield the new fab 4??
Butters is an awesome home and away player
But bad finals form is undeniable.
Look at his home and away aves to finals ave over his career
His output nearly halves

 

[Young Gun #6]

Judd won a norm smith in a gf decided by less than a goal so you can safely say without him they wouldn’t have won it.
Zac ave 16d 2 clearance and has kicked 1 goal in 9 finals
Judd ave 23d 5.5 clearance and kicked 11 goals
Judd had finals as the lone wolf at Carlton.
I think your down playing support
Not mentioning wines.
Ive seen a few port fans calling your midfield the new fab 4??
Butters is an awesome home and away player
But bad finals form is undeniable.
Look at his home and away aves to finals ave over his career
His output nearly halves

He played 3 finals with cracked ribs including a game where he injured those ribs and had 32% game time.

The other finals outside of 2023 were in his first 3 seasons as a junior footballer.

For comparison, in Judd's finals for his first 3 seasons he averaged 18 disposals, 4 clearances and lost all 3 games.

Talk about disinegenous. Genuine dribble.

Butters has realistically played 2 finals where he was even remotely healthy and was 21 years or older (2023).

In those games he averages 27 disposals, 5.5 tackles and 5.5 inside 50's.

 

[ABAB]

He played 3 finals with cracked ribs including a game where he injured those ribs and had 32% game time.

The other finals outside of 2023 were in his first 3 seasons as a junior footballer.

For comparison, in Judd's finals for his first 3 seasons he averaged 18 disposals, 4 clearances and lost all 3 games.

Talk about disinegenous. Genuine dribble.

Butters has realistically played 2 finals where he was even remotely healthy and was 21 years or older (2023).

In those games he averages 27 disposals, 5.5 tackles and 5.5 inside 50's.

The debate is his worth, sure if Butters win the flag and Norm Smith this or next year then he is equal Judd's trade value.

 

[FootyLad0]

He meant that Sniff would create a headache for Geelong. He's already starting; barely liked by his new teammates

So we are just making up bullshit and lies now? Lol
His teammates love him, they way he stood up for Danger set him in good stead.

I know you badly want him to fail but maybe just maybe a change of scenery did him good?
It happens sometimes. It’s a business, people need to learn to not get soo emotionally invested.

Also to keep this on track since it’s a Zak Butters thread and not a Geelong Bailey Smith thread.
I love Butters as a player, but comparing him to 2004/2005 Chris Judd?
Surely not?

 

[Bulldogs85]

I remember you — your posts were getting absolutely battered in the Bailey Smith thread last year. You said the Dogs had the GFC over a barrel. We all saw how that turned out.

Back for more, I see.

I Remember that also but under a different account

 

[Libbaaaa]

Swung by Essex St, Hope St and View St on the way home from Ballarat to look at some properties that are up for sale, huge.

 

[Crow till I die]

I'm quietly confident we are about to land a big fish in the off season. Butters I am not so confident about.

I'd take Bailey Smith over Butters personally and you already got Smith for a packet of crisps. No more big fish for Geelong its unhealthy for the rest of the comp

 

[Pencil case]

I'd take Bailey Smith over Butters personally and you already got Smith for a packet of crisps. No more big fish for Geelong its unhealthy for the rest of the comp

Bailey smith over Butters you can’t make this up.

 

[theouthouse]

You do realize we have had the oldest playing list for a long time and have retired quite a few blokes who were on decent coin?
Really, the highest earner would be Cameron.
Smith, Stewart and Holmes would be the next tier and then you have a few after that (Dangerfield included).

By comparison, Port Adelaide currently have two players earning over a million per season. Even Aliir is reportedly earning more than Bailey Smith.
Horne-Francis could be set to become of the highest paid players end of 2028.

Mid to late 20s players are generally the ones wanting, and on, the highest coin. They are at their peak as footballers and can see the end is nigh.

Port actually have a very young list outside of Boak. Cap squeeze will come for Port in a few years.

 

[Crow till I die]

Bailey smith over Butters you can’t make this up.

We will see tomorrow when we have the showdown. If Butters completely dominates then maybe, as Smith already came over and was best on ground against us and he looked very very very good

 

[Scotland]

ITT: Butters being compared to Chris Judd.

Post all the stats you want but Chris Judd was 24 in 2007 when 23 touches 5 clearances a game was elite. Get back to me when Butters is 19 and kicking 5 in a half against arguably the best midfield ever assembled.

Butters is great but there have been a handful of players in recent history who people have anointed GOATs at various stages of pub conversations. Judd, Ablett Jr, Franklin, Dusty.. at a stretch Fyfe and Danger had elite seasons. Butters it not in those conversations, despite being the same age people as Judd and Ablett Jr who had walking around in the street trying to hide erections.

Judd was also traded to Carlton who had picks 1 and 3 as a result of priority pick rules and Josh Kennedy (pick 4 from two years prior). They had the ability to have Judd + Murphy/Gibbs/Kruezer or Judd + Murphy/Gibbs/Kennedy. Most clubs couldn't get near the assets they had available.

One of the obvious rules of trade week is you can't trade what you don't have. Tony Cochrane was adamant Gold Coast needed a top 10 pick for Jaeger O'Meara

2

Jaeger O'meara

Age

31

Ht

184cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.9

5star

K

12.4

5star

HB

10.6

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

5.5

5star

CL

4.8

5star

D

20.9

5star

K

13.0

5star

HB

7.9

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

5.0

5star

D

19.4

5star

K

11.4

4star

HB

8.0

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

4.6

5star

. St Kilda ended up with picks 23 and 36 and a future first that ended up 7 to make that happen. With future pick trading and every year clubs needing points value of picks it easier now to move assets around depending on which clubs are involved.

If Port wanted 2 x top 10 picks then it's really only Essendon and Richmond who could do that unless another high value player comes on the market. WB/Geel could currently offer pick 12/13 but also 2026 and 2027 picks. Back in 2007 that wasn't an option. I'd be surprised if a team put more than two firsts on the table for Butters unless at least one is in the 20s this year. 20 + "two firsts" is not the same as 5 & 10.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

I remember you — your posts were getting absolutely battered in the Bailey Smith thread last year. You said the Dogs had the GFC over a barrel. We all saw how that turned out.

Back for more, I see.

Didn't he get roasted so badly he made a new account and thought nobody would notice?

It was Purple Juice or something like that.

 

[FootyLad0]

I'm quietly confident we are about to land a big fish in the off season. Butters I am not so confident about.

I'm in the same boat, i reckon we are about to get one.
Just not Butters, reckon he is Doggies bound.

 

[Pencil case]

We will see tomorrow when we have the showdown. If Butters completely dominates then maybe, as Smith already came over and was best on ground against us and he looked very very very good

Even if Butters doesn’t come to the Dogs, I have no doubt he’s the second best player in the comp behind Bont.

Baz is probably top 20-30 this year if you don’t value disposal efficiency as his role to move the ball forward.

If you value disposal efficiency, it’s hard to place him that high.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Even if Butters doesn’t come to the Dogs, I have no doubt he’s the second best player in the comp behind Bont.

I go to a lot of Port games, have seen a lot of Butters career with my own eyes. This is a pretty big reach.

 

[Warhorse]

Bailey smith over Butters you can’t make this up.

Only one of them turns up in finals and it's not Butters

 

[TakingThePies]

Bro you know bugger all stop capping

I couldn't careless about Port or where he goes, just have close connection to his family.

Hes gone.

 

[Portwrld]

I couldn't careless about Port or where he goes, just have close connection to his family.

Hes gone.

So there are people in here that have very good mail that have either close connections to the club or to the family it’s self that are literally saying the bloody opposite of what you’re saying.

He’s staying for this year.

 

[Doggy]

So there are people in here that have very good mail that have either close connections to the club or to the family it’s self that are literally saying the bloody opposite of what you’re saying.

He’s staying.

Not necessarily staying for good but next year is likely.

 

[Portwrld]

Not necessarily staying for good but next year is likely.

Yeah exactly

 

[TakingThePies]

So there are people in here that have very good mail that have either close connections to the club or to the family it’s self that are literally saying the bloody opposite of what you’re saying.

He’s staying for this year.

Just because your favourite player won't be at your club in 12 months time is why youre not accepting this...


I said he would in my original comment... Hes staying this year and leaving at the end of 2026.

 

[Portwrld]

Just because your favourite player won't be at your club in 12 months time is why youre not accepting this...


I said he would in my original comment... Hes staying this year and leaving at the end of 2026.

Two things. Firstly, you could of posted that from the beginning couldn’t ya. Secondly, even still their are people here that have mail close to the club and family that say the opposite of what your saying.