Zak Butters (born 8 September 2000) is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was recruited by Port Adelaide with the 12th draft pick in the 2018 AFL draft.[1]
| Zak Butters | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Zak Butters | ||
| Date of birth | 8 September 2000 | ||
| Original team(s) | Western Jets (TAC Cup)/Darley Devils | ||
| Draft | No. 12, 2018 AFL draft, Port Adelaide | ||
| Height | 181 cm (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Weight | 78 kg (172 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Port Adelaide | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2019– | Port Adelaide | 119 (67) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2024. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
|
AFL
| |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Early life
editButters grew up in Bacchus Marsh and attended Maribyrnong College as part of their selective sports academy. Zak Butters played for the Western Jets in the TAC Cup.[2]
AFL career
editButters made his AFL debut in a win over Melbourne in the opening round of the 2019 AFL season kicking two goals.[3] He was named in the 40-man All Australian squad in 2020.[4] Following Robbie Gray's retirement in 2022, Butters changed his guernsey number from 18 to 9.[5]
A superb season in 2023 saw Butters earn a maiden All-Australian selection, as well as win the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award with 109 votes. Butters finished his season with his first John Cahill Medal, awarded to Port Adelaide's best and fairest throughout the season.[6] Prior to the 2024 season, Butters was made vice-captain of the club underneath fellow draftee Connor Rozee.[7]
In round 19 of 2024, Butters made history by becoming the most fined player in the history of the AFL's Match Review, overtaking Toby Greene with a double fine against Richmond.[8] Butters won his first Showdown Medal in Showdown LVI against cross-town rival Adelaide.[9] Butters' 42 disposals was the most of any individual in a Showdown.
Statistics
edit- Statistics are correct to the end of round 21 2022.[10]
G
|
Goals | K
|
Kicks | D
|
Disposals | T
|
Tackles |
B
|
Behinds | H
|
Handballs | M
|
Marks | ||
#
|
Played in that season's premiership team |
±
|
Won that season's Brownlow Medal |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | Votes | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | |||||
| 2019 | Port Adelaide | 18 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 137 | 132 | 269 | 51 | 48 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 7.2 | 7.0 | 14.2 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 0 |
| 2020[a] | Port Adelaide | 18 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 129 | 119 | 248 | 55 | 47 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 7.6 | 7.0 | 14.6 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 2 |
| 2021 | Port Adelaide | 18 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 111 | 114 | 225 | 50 | 42 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 9.3 | 9.5 | 18.8 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 1 |
| 2022 | Port Adelaide | 18 | 19 | 6 | 7 | 219 | 173 | 392 | 69 | 64 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 12.5 | 9.7 | 22.2 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3 |
| 2023 | Port Adelaide | 9 | 25 | 13 | 8 | 361 | 326 | 687 | 126 | 86 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 14.4 | 13.0 | 27.5 | 5.0 | 3.4 | 27 |
| 2024 | Port Adelaide | 9 | 26 | 13 | 13 | 370 | 335 | 705 | 123 | 107 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 14.2 | 12.9 | 27.1 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 29 |
| Career | 119 | 67 | 45 | 1358 | 1219 | 2577 | 484 | 405 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 11.4 | 10.2 | 21.7 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 62 | ||
- ^ The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
References
edit- ^ "Port Adelaide select Zak Butters with pick 12". portadelaidefc.com.au. 22 November 2018.
- ^ "Tomorrow's Heroes: Cool-headed Jet is an elite ball user". www.afc.com.au. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "AFL Round 1: Melbourne vs Port Adelaide, win, Ken Hinkley reaction, press conference, Jack Watts". Fox Sports. 23 March 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
- ^ "Revealed: 20yo bolter Zak Butters joins superstars in 40-man All-Australian squad". Fox Sports. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "Gray: Zak came to mind straight away". 22 November 2022.
- ^ "Butters takes out first John Cahill Medal". portadelaidefc.com.au. 9 October 2023.
- ^ Twomey, Callum (11 December 2023). "Mega-contract star to skipper Power in new era of leadership". afl.com.au.
- ^ Beveridge, Riley (22 July 2024). "The AFL's most fined: Butters' bill hits record level". afl.com.au.
- ^ "Showdown 56 Medal Votes". afc.com.au. 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Zak Butters". AFLTables. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
External links
edit- Zak Butters's profile on the official website of the Port Adelaide Football Club
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