The Butters Decision: Why Port star chose Dogs over Cats

Zak Butters chose the Western Bulldogs because Geelong refused to explain how they would strike a deal with Port Adelaide.

Butters had initially wanted to play for Geelong and even informed Cats officials that he had settled on them as his preferred free agency destination.

But while Geelong repeatedly urged the star midfielder to formally nominate them - and also pushed Butters’ manager Peter Lenton to open talks with Port - the Cats at no stage indicated how a deal would be done.

That reluctance ultimately eroded their footing, turned off an already-wary Port Adelaide and re-opened the door for the Western Bulldogs.

It must also be acknowledged that the Power flatly refused to engage with Geelong in a move that frustrated Cats officials looking to start the process.

Port Adelaide were concerned Geelong’s hardline dealings would have left them short-changed in a Butters move and were determined to resist.

A major part of that stance is the bad blood that already exists between Port Adelaide and Geelong in the trade space.

There are those in the upper levels of management at Port who have not forgotten the Cats’ brazen poaching attempt of Travis Boak in 2012. Nor the angst over the Esava Ratugolea move from Geelong to Port Adelaide at the second attempt in 2023.

In short, the Power were convinced the Cats would have made their life hell in a negotiation for Butters. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, had shown an appetite to put forward trade scenarios.

SEN has spoken to multiple sources close to the Butters situation in recent weeks to piece together the chain of events that lead to Butters settling on the biggest free agency decision the game has seen.

All parties agree - if Butters was an unrestricted free agent, he’d already have the hoops in his wardrobe.

But the Cats’ cageyness, the Power’s refusal to deal with them and the increasingly busy Bulldogs swung Butters’ future dramatically towards the kennel.

The Dogs, like many rivals, had met with Butters throughout the year and presented a unique sales pitch that is said to have impressed the onballer.

And while the Dogs’ improved contract offer tabled earlier this month was superior to Geelong’s, those who know Butters say the difference in the equally-enormous offers was not the only factor.

He wants to go home to Victoria, but he also wants to win. This was what kept a rebuilding Richmond at arms-length despite the Tigers also meeting with Butters.

Further, Butters’ determination to see Port Adelaide properly compensated in any exchange was far from overplayed. The specifics of a trade was a big issue for Port, but also a big issue for its departing star.

In the eyes of the Power, Richmond stood to offer the best deal, Geelong the opposite and in between was the Bulldogs.

While the Todd Marshall trade deal has since been killed off by the AFL, the Bulldogs’ openness and all-of-club push to land Butters eventually won his nomination.

Butters grew increasingly concerned Geelong wouldn’t be able to get a suitable trade done and was fearful of a trade period saga that could have left the Power short-changed.

The Power and Dogs continue to work on a series of deals with other clubs that will most likely see Port acquire the Dogs’ pick 12, after securing the pick 5 free agency compensation pick for Butters, in the upcoming free agency and trade windows.