Trade talk: The “enticing” deal Demons could offer for Butters

Could Melbourne be entering the Zak Butters sweepstakes?

Gerard Healy has been told that the Demons are well-placed to launch a pursuit of the Port Adelaide superstar who continues to be linked with a move back to Victoria.

Butters, 25, is out of contract at the Power this year and has interest from the Western Bulldogs, Geelong, Richmond, Hawthorn, Collingwood and other clubs.

But what about the Dees? Could they throw their hat in the ring?

With recent news that both South Australian clubs are interested in Melbourne midfielder Tom Sparrow, Healy suggested a possible package the Demons could offer Port for Butters.

However, Sparrow is a free agent at season's end, so if Port wanted him then perhaps they'd give up less in terms of draft picks.

“I got rung today with good oil from a bloke who's fairly associated with Melbourne,” Healy said on SEN’s Sportsday.

“He says the good oil is that they think they're in a pretty good spot for Butters. He was arguing that they've got great draft picks.

“But when you raise the issue of Tom Sparrow going home, you throw Sparrow in with some draft picks and all of a sudden you may be able to package up a pretty enticing deal.”

Healy’s mail prompted a conversation with Sportsday colleagues Sam Edmund and Butters' former Port coach Ken Hinkley.

Edmund: “Melbourne has, as it stands, Picks 5 and 13.

“So they've got two first-rounders.”

Healy: “Two first-rounders and Sparrow, is that too much, Ken?”

Hinkley: “Probably not.

“I think Melbourne's package is really good when you think about that, 5 and 13.”

Healy: “I’m not saying it's true. I'm just telling you what Mr Big told me at Melbourne.”

Hinkley: “And you told me off air plenty of times, Mr Big gets everything right.”

Healy: “It's a good offer if you did package it. If Sparrow wanted to go home, and he may not want to, they may just say, no, we want you.”

Hinkley: “It's certainly got to be close, doesn't it?”

Hinkley then outlined what his old club the Power would be prioritising - Butters aside - in the lead-up to this off-season.

“But what Port’s biggest concern is what it's going to cost to get Dougie Cochrane. That will be their biggest concern,” Hinkley added.

“And the future picks that are coming with Louis Salopek and Zemes Pilot as well. They've got some good players coming so they need as many picks as they can, maybe not just in this year.

“Port's own pick at the moment, we don't know where it's going to land. It could land anywhere from 6-7 down to 13-14 themselves and that won't be enough to get Dougie Cochrane done, I don't think, if the new rules come into a play.”