Collingwood has reportedly placed a monster offer in front of Zak Butters—but signing the Port Adelaide superstar will not be as simple as offering him the biggest contract in club history.
The Magpies have tabled a deal worth approximately $1.8 million per season, according to AFL Media’s original report.
The proposal could reportedly run for as long as eight years, potentially taking its total value to an eye-watering $14.4 million.
However, neither the length nor the financial terms have been officially confirmed by Collingwood or Butters.
Collingwood goes public with Butters pursuit
Collingwood chief executive Craig Kelly confirmed the Magpies were interested in the 25-year-old midfielder, who becomes a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
“We’d be negligent not to be helping Justin Leppitsch and his team, with support from both the board and ourselves, talking to anyone, and Zak’s definitely one of those players,” Kelly said.
“He’s a great player, a great person, and he’s coming back to Victoria and we’d like him to consider our club.”
Kelly’s suggestion that Butters was “coming back to Victoria” immediately attracted attention because the Port star has not publicly committed to leaving Adelaide.
The Collingwood boss subsequently contacted Port Adelaide and clarified that he had misspoken.
Power coach Josh Carr was unimpressed by the public approach.
“I feel like the arrogance of certain football clubs, Collingwood in particular,” Carr said.
“He’s a leader of their football club, if that’s the way they want to lead.
“It’s disrespectful to the club, the competition and Zak, in particular.”
Port can disrupt Collingwood’s plans
The biggest obstacle facing Collingwood is Butters’ restricted free-agent status.
That designation gives Port Adelaide the right to match any official offer lodged by a rival club. Carr has already indicated that the Power intends to exercise that right.
If Port matches Collingwood’s bid, Butters would be unable to simply join the Magpies as a free agent. Collingwood would likely need to negotiate a trade—and satisfying Port for a three-time club champion would be enormously difficult.
The Magpies’ draft position and the absence of an obvious equivalent player to send in return could make the contract offer the easiest part of this pursuit.
Butters has not made his decision
Despite the escalating speculation, Butters has maintained that he will wait until the end of the season before announcing his future.
He has also rejected reports that he told teammates he was preparing to leave Port Adelaide.
“That hasn’t happened,” Butters said.
Collingwood is far from the only Victorian club pursuing him. Richmond has reportedly assembled an even more lucrative offer, while Geelong and the Western Bulldogs remain in the conversation.
Butters’ desire to compete for premierships could ultimately prove as important as money. That requirement would appear to strengthen the Magpies’ position, although their ageing list presents questions about how long their current premiership window will remain open.
Is an eight-year contract worth the risk?
There is no disputing Butters’ quality. His speed, aggression and ability to influence games would make him an imposing midfield partner for Nick Daicos.
But a reported $14.4 million commitment would also represent a considerable gamble.
Carrying two of the competition’s most expensive midfielders could eventually restrict Collingwood’s ability to retain its emerging players and strengthen other positions. An eight-year deal also exposes the club to the unavoidable risks of injury and declining performance.
The departure of Bobby Hill is expected to provide Collingwood with additional salary-cap flexibility, although the financial details of his settlement have not been disclosed.
That flexibility may help the Magpies make their pitch. It does not guarantee they can complete the move.
Collingwood has made its intentions unmistakable, but Port’s matching rights—and the growing number of clubs chasing Butters—mean this could become the AFL’s most complicated recruitment battle.
The reported contract figures were first published by news.com.au and have not been formally confirmed by either club.
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