Port Adelaide coach Josh Carr says he has done all he can to convince star midfielder Zak Butters to stay at the club beyond this season. Butters, who is out of contract at the end of the year, will play his 150th AFL match on Saturday night against Carlton.
Carr told reporters on Friday that he has been in Butters' ear enough and does not think the player needs any more persuasion. The 25-year-old Victorian is being chased by several clubs, including the Western Bulldogs, Geelong and Hawthorn.
Butters will return to his hometown of Darley, northwest of Melbourne, during the club's bye weekend to discuss his future with family. Carr said he has been impressed by Butters' continued on-field performance despite the off-field speculation.
“He plays the game one way, he trains one way, he only knows one way to play footy,” Carr said. The coach emphasised that the club's culture is strong and that Butters has been a key part of building it.
Carr said the focus is on Butters enjoying his football and the people around him at Port Adelaide. “It’s about the team, it’s about him enjoying his football here and him enjoying the people around him,” he added.
