Why Port Adelaide needs an answer from Zak Butters on his long-term future in 2025

Veteran sports reporter Michelangelo Rucci believes Zak Butters is more likely to leave Port Adelaide than stay.

The star midfielder is out of contract at the end of 2026, and has been linked widely with a return to Victoria.

When Rucci was asked to make a call right now as to whether he’d stay or go, he said:

“Right now, I’d be expecting him to move on,” Rucci told SEN SA’s The Run Home.

Rucci believes the Power need an answer from Butters this year so they can make the call and cash him in for maximum trade value before he hits free agency.

“People are talking about the draft picks that Geelong had to pay for Jeremy Cameron and three first-round draft picks for an elite top-end player – if you’re Port Adelaide, you’re needing to go to Butters at some stage this year and say ‘here’s a deal to stay at Port Adelaide and if you’re not signing it, you need to tell us’. They need answer from Zak Butters this year,” he said.

“They can’t afford for Butters to leave in free agency next year. One draft pick that the AFL assigns you versus three draft picks that you can negotiate at the trade table.”

Power captain Connor Rozee is adamant that Butters will recommit to the club for the long term.

“He’s still got two years left on his contract, so I’m not sure why we’re already into the phase of talking about where he might go,” Rozee told SEN SA Breakfast.

“He loves the footy club, he’s got some really great relationships here. I can’t see him going anywhere and we’ll make sure that whatever he needs to have, he’ll have in front of him.

“He’s such an important player to our team, he’s been amazing, two-time All-Australian now, he’s our vice-captain, we love him and he loves us and that’s all that matters.”

Rozee is excited for what the club’s forward line will look like in 2025, following the additions of Jack Lukosius, Joe Berry and Joe Richards.

“It’s hard to look past some of our new recruits, they have looked great through all of pre-season. Both the Joes (Berry and Richards) inside 50 and you saw that a bit on the weekend with their class and footy smarts,” Rozee said.

“Obviously picking up Jack from the Gold Coast is going to be a massive boost as well. He’s got elite skills and provides something a little different to what Charlie Dixon provided last year.”

Port Adelaide travels to RSEA Park to take on St Kilda on March 1st for the AAMI Community Series.