Zac Butters?? I. DON'T. CARE.

[mjp]

Let me start here: I love watching Zac Butters play football.

He’s a competitor. A jet. A guy who somehow combines that slick, outside class with real inside aggression. He never looks out of place, never goes missing, and always seems to be in the middle of the moment when Port need someone to stand up. Honestly, if you were starting a midfield from scratch, he’d be one of the first names on the whiteboard.

But here’s the thing.

I don’t want him.

Not because he’s not good enough — he’s a superstar. Not because he wouldn’t help us — he would. But because chasing big-name players with massive contracts rarely guarantees anything except cap pressure, distraction, and the eventual departure of your own.

We’re the Western Bulldogs. And right now, for all the frustration, we’ve got something special brewing.

We’ve got Joel Freijah and Rylee Sanders.
We’ve got Cody Weightman (injured, again I know) and Sam Darcy.
We *MIGHT* somehow-still-have-the-only-23-year-old Jamarra.
We've even got Lachie McNeil and Harvey Gallagher. You might LOL at this - but I don't. They're OURS!

We’ve drafted well. We’ve been patient. And some of these guys — maybe even two or three of them — are going to be stars.

If we blow up the salary cap to bring in Zac Butters, what message does that send? Not just to the locker room, but to the kids we’re trying to build a team around? How are we going to keep the band together when the next re-signing deadline rolls around? How does Sanders get inside mid time when you add a Butters to the mix??

And it’s not like there's a guarantee of success. Just ask the LA Kings.

Back in 1988, the Kings pulled off the biggest trade in sports history — they landed Wayne Gretzky. The best hockey player in the world. Maybe the best athlete in any sport, ever. And did they win a championship?

Nope.

They made the Finals once (in 1993), and then slowly faded. Meanwhile, the Oilers — the team that lost Gretzky — actually won another Stanley Cup without him the very next year. Go figure. The same thing happen when Sydney pulled off the Buddy Franklin heist. The didn't win one - but Hawthorn won another without him.

Because sometimes, building a team is less about chasing headlines, and more about cultivating belief. Sometimes the real superstars are the ones you’ve already got — if you give them time, trust, and a role to grow into.

So yeah, I’ll still admire Zac Butters every time he puts on the Port jumper. I’ll still rate him as one of the best players in the comp.

But I don’t want him.

I want us.

I want to watch Freijah turn into the best two-way wingman in the AFL.
I want to see Sanders rack up 35 and two in a final.
I want to see Jamarra kick five in a prelim and smile like a kid.
I want to build something that lasts — not just buy something that sells.

So thanks, but no thanks. We don’t need Zac Butters. Or Bergman. Or anyone else we're rumoured to be throwing money at. Leave that kind of stuff to Carlton (how IS Zac Williams going by the way??) and whichever other plastic teams out there who think that ONE PLAYER will put them over the top.

Draft your stars. Recruit experienced role players (Hey - Matt Kennedy, that's you!! Hey Lachie Bramble, that's you!) to fill in the gaps.

#cancelfreeagency

[Axe Man]

Would you rather pay $1.4 million (just a made up figure) to Butters or Sanders? Because we will probably have to pay something like that to keep him once Tassie offer him $2 million or some ridiculous amount.

If Butters in means losing Sanders in a couple of years then so be it.

I'm sure for every Gretzky and Buddy there are plenty of examples of big recruits bringing success. Take Collingwood - outside their 3 star father/sons and a couple of high draftees from the turn of the century in Pendllebury and Sidebottom most of their team are recruits of varying standing and it's worked for them. Sure your recruits don't have to be superstars but it's tough if they are all bargain basement. The Pies just spent near $2 million of their cap on Houston and Perryman and somehow didn't blow it up.

I do take your point though and it's hardly the end of the world if we don't get Butters, the future is still bright. It would be nice to land a big fish for a change though and I will trust Sam Power to manage the cap responsibly.

[Uninformed]

We could end up having to pay Butters more than Bont. Ed and Darcy. He would put Libba's one year contracts in the shade. Cannot be good for morale.

[mjp]

Would you rather pay $1.4 million (just a made up figure) to Butters or Sanders? Because we will probably have to pay something like that to keep him once Tassie offer him $2 million or some ridiculous amount.

Sanders is a Bulldogs player until proven otherwise - so I would rather give the money to HIM.

I admire Butters but he's a Port Adelaide player...let him get his cash from them.

This obsession with getting guys in over building a footy team? It's bizarre.

As for the 'Pies, why exactly did they pay all that money for Houston when they already had Noble and he is - by pretty much any measure - having a better season than Houston is. That way they could have kept their powder (cash) dry and used it to ensure that their own role players were well looked after. Collingwood have a team filled with imports because:

1/. They had to blow up their list (Adam Treloar says hi) due to gross mismanagement, and;
2/. They can't draft to save their lives. With apologies to all of those who worship at the temple of Hyne.

So they had to fill the middle of their list (role players ) with mid-range (or less) players from other clubs (Hill, Frampton, Membrey, etc)...they have thrown stupid money at Schultz, Houston etc - and they MIGHT yet get a flag out of it.

I'd just prefer to do it with the players who have 'grown' at our footy club.

[josie]

I think I largely agree with mjp.

I’ve read I think in woof we might have to give up 3 x 1st rounders with a 2nd coming back, plus his enormous salary when we will have to pay big bucks to Frejiah & Sanders and already have high earners (rightly so) in Bont, Darcy, Naughts, Ed.

Wouldn’t it be better to address our backline gaps?

I think the aforementioned draft picks is too much to pay. I also think, as I’ve said elsewhere, although I love Butters I fear he will be injury prone given the courageous way he plays for a reasonably lightly built player.

Our ability to bring in good drafts in first 3 or so rounds plus bringing in excellent players at reasonable cost eg M Kennedy, Keath, Duryea has been outstanding.

Having said all this, if club says we can afford Butters in both draft picks & salary without losing any of our top notch players in their prime (from top of head; Bont, Darcy, Naughts, Frejiah, Ed, Dale, Flea, English based upon this year Williams) or really promising up & comers (Sanders, Davidson, Dolan, Hynes) and that it will widen our premiership window I’m inclined to trust them.

I also said elsewhere, out of Bergman (who I know has re-signed) and Butters I would have thought a Bergman type of player would be a more pressing need.

[Mantis]

I care… he’s a really good player, and I’d prefer really good players play for our team and not other teams.

If he heads back to Melbourne I’d much rather he ends up with us rather than another team we’re competing against for a premiership.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Im not sure but honestly believe that the club know what’s, what. I take you all back to three huge recuts that we had. Aka, Hall
and Tom Boyd. All three where amazing for the club and supporters but only one has played in a premiership side.

I always think that it’s a journey and looking for the best got for out side is the best way to move forward and honestly since Shane O’Sullivan I think we have recurred very well but not had the most stable leadership at the club that have set us back more than anything.

yes I’m still burnt by Griff and Ward departures and the hang over from the 2016 GF win that left us a little unbalanced with a few party boys.

[josie]

I care… he’s a really good player, and I’d prefer really good players play for our team and not other teams.

If he heads back to Melbourne I’d much rather he ends up with us rather than another team we’re competing against for a premiership.

That’s a good point (not playing for another Melbourne team). I don’t want us entering a bidding war though. Hopefully if Butters wants to leave Port he says Dogs only.

[GVGjr]

Butters is a great player, I think we all agree on that.

Is there a spot for him?
With Treloar battling injuries, perhaps Libba fading a bit you would think so but with Richards entering his prime and Kenned's form along with the brilliant Bont it may not be a pressing need.
We also have Freijah who should be requesting more midfield time.
I'm all for getting him in though.

Does he make us a better side?
I think it's hard to argue against that. Yes, he is a gun player

Does it impact the salary cap that much?
It stretches it a bit but it's going to rise quickly over the next few years so if we genuinely have him on the radar then I wouldn't be concerned.

Now here is the more challenging part

What will we have to give up in terms of draft capital?
Port would rightly demand more than 2 first rounders, perhaps 2x1st and a 2nd rounder before they would consider trading Butters to us.
It could easily be 3x1st rounders and that's a hard decision for us.

So here is me having a foot in both paddocks
If Marra gets traded we should go boots an all to bring in Butters. Lose a big name, bring a big one is to replace him much like we did with Tom Boyd when when Ryan Griffin requested a trade.
If Marra stays I'm not necessarily pushing all the chips in for Butters but I'd still hope we chase him hard.

[Go_Dogs]

If a top flight player says they want to come to you, and they’re a Bulldog person, and cultural fit, of course you bloody do the deal.

This. Is. Lunacy.

I’ve got no idea if Zac ticks all the boxes or not, but trust those charged with carrying our culture to endorse it and welcome him in with open arms.

I know Treloar was a different circumstance in OUR financial terms, but still would’ve been one of the highest earners at OUR club when he came across. He has fitted in brilliantly and I suspect ends his career wanting to be known as a Bulldog.

I get the / love the support and desire for opportunity and piece of the pie for the players we’ve drafted and invested in. We can still do this. If I’m them I’m also supportive of bringing in talent that gets the club closer to a flag.

[The Adelaide Connection]

I think I largely agree with mjp.

I’ve read I think in woof we might have to give up 3 x 1st rounders with a 2nd coming back, plus his enormous salary when we will have to pay big bucks to Frejiah & Sanders and already have high earners (rightly so) in Bont, Darcy, Naughts, Ed.

Wouldn’t it be better to address our backline gaps?

I think the aforementioned draft picks is too much to pay. I also think, as I’ve said elsewhere, although I love Butters I fear he will be injury prone given the courageous way he plays for a reasonably lightly built player.

Our ability to bring in good drafts in first 3 or so rounds plus bringing in excellent players at reasonable cost eg M Kennedy, Keath, Duryea has been outstanding.

Having said all this, if club says we can afford Butters in both draft picks & salary without losing any of our top notch players in their prime (from top of head; Bont, Darcy, Naughts, Frejiah, Ed, Dale, Flea, English based upon this year Williams) or really promising up & comers (Sanders, Davidson, Dolan, Hynes) and that it will widen our premiership window I’m inclined to trust them.

I also said elsewhere, out of Bergman (who I know has re-signed) and Butters I would have thought a Bergman type of player would be a more pressing need.

If we take him at the end of 2026 it will cost zero picks.

[BontlowSzn]

I completely get the sentiment. But this is a potential top 5 player in the competition for the next 8 years we are talking about here.

Paying Neale worked out well for Brisbane. Cameron for the Cats. May/Lever For Melbourne. Did those teams lose anyone of any significance due to those recruitments? Have sustained success, a winning culture and players will stay.

We have cap room. Understand Darcy is going to take a fair chunk. Treloar if he plays next year will be on peanuts.

There's certainly a spot for Butters in our midfield. Imagine the luxury of allowing Bont to spend more time forward to allow Sanders and Freijah to still get enough midfield time.

A next generation midfield of Butters, Richards, Sanders, Freijah as the core 4, with Kennedy and Bontempelli still rotating through and forward. Yes please.

[DOG GOD]

One of the best most courageous mids in the AFL. He oozes team work. I’d take him in a heartbeat over Sanders.
Treloar and Libba are almost done. Who have we got to replace them ? Garcia and someone else? I get what you’re saying MjP, but if a player like Butters wants to come to our club and we can accommodate, then it’s a no brainer for me. If it’s not us it would be Geel. I sure as hell don’t want him going there.

[ledge]

We will lose Treloar and Libba soon we need a solid hard replacement, he is it .

[mjp]

...If it’s not us it would be Geel. I sure as hell don’t want him going there.

See - I don't actually care what Geelong do nor do I really consider them too much. When Dangerfield retires half of his highlights will be as a Crow not a Cat. That matters to me - I want my 'great' players to be born and bred, tried and true.

1-player doesn't make a team. If Butters wants to go there (Geelong) - let him. It'll be all the sweeter when he has to put up with Bailey Smith missing targets through the midfield and watching helplessly as the Richards-Sanders-Freijah midfield tears his new team apart down there.