‘Perfect match’: Bulldogs beat the Cats in race for Zak Butters

Port Adelaide superstar Zak Butters has nominated the Western Bulldogs as his preferred destination, with the Dogs beating Geelong for his services provided they can secure him via free agency or a trade.

The Power confirmed that the club had been notified by Butters of his club of choice. Assuming they can navigate a trade or land the 26-year-old champion via free agency, the arrival of Butters will be a coup for the Bulldogs, regarded as one of Victoria’s “smaller” clubs.

The prospect of Butters heading to Whitten Oval is against the trend of in-demand free agents ordinarily joining a leading Victorian club, such as when former Sun Tom Lynch joined Richmond in their premiership era.

Port Adelaide will have to decide whether to match the massive, nine-year offer to Butters or force a trade. If they choose not to match, they will receive pick No.5 in the national draft – the selection after Port’s first pick.

Their early draft choices will be needed to match the likely bid at pick No.1 for their academy gun Dougie Cochrane.

Geelong had likewise offered Butters a nine-year deal.

Already, attention has turned to what the Bulldogs could achieve in 2027 and beyond with Butters potentially joining stars Marcus Bontempelli and Sam Darcy in the same team. New Tasmania coach Ken Hinkley, who was Butters’ long-time coach at Port Adelaide, said Butters and the Bulldogs were a good fit, affectionately describing the 156-game midfield star as a “dirty little dog”.

“He will thrive under the spotlight of the contract. It won’t worry him,” Hinkley said on SEN.

“I think it’s the perfect match for him.

“He’s everything that the Bulldogs require, and he’s everything about the western suburbs in some ways. He’s a dirty little dog.”

Hinkley said the move was shaping a huge bonus for veteran Dogs coach Luke Beveridge. “Imagine [this scenario for] Bevo, he has Zak Butters and Sam Darcy to put into that team next year,” Hinkley said.

Richmond and Collingwood were the other clubs vying for Butters during this season. Butters, who hails from Darley near Bacchus Marsh, grew up as a Bulldogs fan.

The Bulldogs had recently increased their offer to Butters, which will likely be the biggest in AFL history.

Butters had formed a friendship with Bulldogs skipper Bontempelli which the club had felt was a factor in their favour in the intense competition for the Port star.

Should Port match the free agency offer, the Dogs could well need to find draft capital by trading a player or players out.

In May, Port coach Josh Carr had told this masthead that the Power would match a free agency bid and force a trade if he departed. But the landscape has shifted since then since Port have finished 15th, drawing an earlier compensation pick if they do not match.

Of the many flow on effects from Butters’ call is that it might make it easier for Geelong to land St Kilda ruckman Rowan Marshall. The Cats are in the pole position to snare Toby Greene as an unrestricted free agent if he leaves the Giants.

Butters’ decision is a bombshell move that will drastically shape this year’s trade period.

The Port Adelaide star ended months of speculation late last month when he confirmed he was heading back to Victoria.

Butters told Port officials at his exit meeting that he would exercise his restricted free agency rights to join a Victorian team.

Butters’ decision ended at least 18 months of speculation about his playing future.

“I’ve made the decision to head home,” the 25-year-old said last month.

“It’s obviously been one that I’ve wrestled with for a while now, and it’s been quite tough to get to the bottom of it. It’s been a tough decision in my life, and one that I haven’t taken lightly.

“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 and cherish more moments with them. But in saying that, I’ve also really enjoyed my time at the footy club and here in Adelaide, and it’s felt like home for me as well.”