The Western Bulldogs have publicly declared they remain “all-in” on Zak Butters despite Geelong emerging as the reported frontrunner to secure the departing Port Adelaide superstar.
Butters has formally informed Port Adelaide that he intends to exercise his rights as a restricted free agent and return home to Victoria.
He has not yet nominated a preferred club, leaving Geelong, the Bulldogs and Richmond competing for one of the AFL’s most valuable midfielders.
Bulldogs chief executive Ameet Bains rejected suggestions the race had already been decided and confirmed his club was making an aggressive attempt to secure the 25-year-old.
“In terms of Zak, he’s obviously indicated he wants to come home,” Bains told SEN.
“We’ve been a footy club who has been open about an interest in him if he were to do that. So we’re clearly all-in on trying to get him to our club.”
Bulldogs Insist Butters Has Not Chosen Geelong
Geelong has been widely described as Butters’ preferred destination, but no formal nomination has been made.
Bains also questioned the accuracy of reports surrounding the timing and financial details of the competing offers.
“The accuracy of some of those reports and timing and things like that … I’m sure they’re not 100 per cent right,” he said.
“I think he’s still working through his decision as to where he wants to go, and that’s what’s been conveyed to us.”
That distinction is important.
Butters has decided to leave Port Adelaide and return to Victoria, but deciding to leave is not the same as selecting his next club.
The Cats may be ahead, but the Bulldogs still believe there is a “realistic chance” he will delay his nomination or remain open to several destinations until the clubs establish whether they can satisfy Port Adelaide.
Reported Offers Approach $2 Million Per Season
The financial battle for Butters has reached extraordinary levels.
According to SEN’s latest trade report, Richmond has offered more than $2 million per season across nine years.
The Bulldogs’ proposal is reportedly worth slightly less than $2 million annually over the same term, while Geelong has also tabled the largest player offer in its history.
Those figures have not been formally confirmed by the clubs or Butters’ management.
They nevertheless illustrate the scale of the decision.
A nine-year contract worth approximately $2 million per season would place Butters among the highest-paid players in AFL history and commit his next club to an enormous long-term investment.
Richmond appears capable of offering the most money, but Butters has made it clear that his decision will involve more than the size of the contract.
Premiership prospects, location and Port Adelaide’s ability to receive a satisfactory return are all expected to influence his preferred destination.
Port Adelaide Can Force a Trade
Butters’ restricted free-agent status gives Port Adelaide greater control than it would possess over an unrestricted player.
Once Butters accepts an offer from another club, Port can match the financial terms and force that club to negotiate a trade.
The Power has already indicated it will pursue the best possible outcome rather than simply allowing its best midfielder to leave for AFL compensation.
“Zak has been an outstanding servant to the football club since debuting in 2019,” Port said in its official statement.
“The club will now work to facilitate the best outcome for Port Adelaide through this process.”
Former Power coach Ken Hinkley believes Butters will also want his departing club treated fairly.
“I think the number one thing is he would want Port Adelaide to be looked after very well,” Hinkley said.
“I can say that he said one day to me: ‘I just wish Port Adelaide was in Melbourne’.
“He loves Port Adelaide and they love what Zak’s done for them as well.”
That relationship makes an acrimonious departure less likely, but it does not guarantee straightforward negotiations.
Richmond Possesses a Major Trade Advantage
Richmond’s strongest selling point may not be its enormous financial offer.
The Tigers reportedly possess two selections inside the top 20, giving them a considerably clearer pathway towards constructing a deal acceptable to Port Adelaide.
Geelong and the Bulldogs must either use their existing draft capital, acquire additional early selections or consider including players in negotiations.
Bains acknowledged the ability to complete a trade would form part of Butters’ decision.
“One aspect that is important, particularly from his management group’s perspective, is a club being able to get a deal done,” he said.
“If, as Port has indicated, they match the bid, that’ll be a consideration.”
Richmond could therefore become an increasingly serious contender if negotiations involving Geelong or the Bulldogs appear likely to fail.
However, the Tigers’ rebuilding position may work against them if Butters prioritises immediate premiership contention.
Geelong offers a proven environment and long history of remaining competitive. The Bulldogs can point to a midfield containing Marcus Bontempelli and an opportunity to become an immediate centrepiece of another finals push.
Richmond can offer money, draft flexibility and the chance to become the face of its rebuild.
Why Butters Would Transform the Bulldogs
The Bulldogs already possess several elite midfielders, but Butters would add a different type of speed and aggression around stoppages.
His ability to win contested possession, accelerate away from congestion and apply pressure without the ball would complement Bontempelli, Ed Richards and Tom Liberatore.
Butters has played 156 games since Port selected him with pick 12 in the 2018 national draft.
He has won three consecutive John Cahill Medals as Port Adelaide’s best and fairest and earned two All-Australian selections.
The Bulldogs’ interest therefore involves more than adding another talented midfielder. Butters is young enough to become a long-term leader while immediately improving their premiership prospects.
The challenge is determining whether that improvement justifies a contract potentially approaching $18 million and the substantial trade package Port Adelaide will demand.
Geelong Remains Ahead but Deal Is Far From Finished
The Cats should still be regarded as the frontrunner.
Butters reportedly views Geelong as an attractive combination of lifestyle, family proximity and premiership opportunity. The club also has an extraordinary history of attracting established players and keeping its premiership window open.
Yet Geelong cannot simply rely upon being Butters’ preferred destination.
If Port matches the offer, the Cats must construct a trade. Their ability to obtain sufficient early draft capital could determine whether the move is achievable.
That creates a potential opening for the Bulldogs.
Butters may prefer Geelong, but he also wants to avoid a prolonged dispute or the uncertainty of entering the national draft. A club capable of negotiating a clean agreement with Port could become more attractive as the trade period approaches.
The Bulldogs have now made their position unmistakable.
They are not treating Butters’ move to Geelong as inevitable, and they appear willing to make one of the biggest financial commitments in club history to prove it.
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan Set for One-Year Lifeline
The other significant development involves former Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.
Gold Coast is reportedly leaning towards offering the 24-year-old another one-year contract, although the decision still requires board approval.
Ugle-Hagan played only three senior matches during his first season with the Suns and failed to trigger an automatic extension that required 12 AFL appearances.
AFL journalist Tom Morris reported that Gold Coast was broadly satisfied with Ugle-Hagan’s conduct but wanted him to return in stronger physical condition for 2027.
“If I had to choose now, I think Jamarra does get a one-year deal at the Gold Coast Suns, no more than that,” Morris said.
No extension has been formally announced.
The proposed agreement would provide Ugle-Hagan with another opportunity to rebuild his AFL career without requiring Gold Coast to make a substantial long-term commitment.
