Zak Butters is now part of the most promising midfield in the league, with a very high ceiling that has listed the Power into top four calculations. Each of Butters, Rozee, Horne-Francis and Wines take their turns rotating through half forward at times, and each have their strong points, but it is possibly Butters who has the highest ceiling of them all in a single game. His problem, and that of Port Adelaide as a whole, is that his floor of production within games and across four quarters can still be disappointing. For fantasy use, he is a rollercoaster.
Zak Butters is now part of the most promising midfield in the league, with a very high ceiling that has listed the Power into top four calculations. Each of Butters, Rozee, Horne-Francis and Wines take their turns rotating through half forward at times, and each have their strong points, but it is possibly Butters who has the highest ceiling of them all in a single game. His problem, and that of Port Adelaide as a whole, is that his floor of production within games and across four quarters can still be disappointing. For fantasy use, he is a rollercoaster.
Zak Butters was just about the most prominent of the young brigade who came through in 2021 to lift the Power into premiership contention, along with the likes of Rozee, Drew and Durrsma. It has felt at times like the entirety of the Port Adelaide list has been suffering second-year syndrome, where the physical demands of growing into your body and adding bulk to your frame weighs heavily on younger players who enjoyed themselves more freely in year on. Butters' personal output has been highly variable, but he's putting together a good late run.
Zak Butters and Connor Rozee joined the Port Adelaide midfield this year, and while they have both had stints where they rested forward more often than usual, today they will be called upon to play full time at the engine room in the rare absence of their leader Travis Boak. Port without Boak looks severely undersized in central midfield, and a lot will be asked of both Rozee and Butters in a year where they have shown flashy form at times but gone missing too often. Will today be the making of them, or will the Swans swamp them? Fantasy owners watch with interest.
Zak Butters has joined the Port Adelaide midfield full time this year, but despite some excellent personal stat lines the team has slumped to an 0-3 start, leading to criticism from media and everyone else. From being in the top two engine rooms across the past three or four years, the Power have dropped off in some measures, particular their delivery inside 50. The obvious implication is that if they haven't got Charlie Dixon to aim at, they haven't got a whole lot of ideas as to how to score. Can Butters find a way to convert intensity to scoreboard production?
Zak Butters has joined the Port Adelaide midfield rotation to begin 22 and delivered a very solid fantasy result for his many owners in round 1. That score survived an in-game injury to Robbie Gray, with Connor Rozee and Sam Powell-Pepper filing out the front six it appears the plan at the moment is to keep him in the engine room. Perhaps the best indicator is that he put up big numbers without hitting the scoreboard, which had previously been the catalyst for his occasional monster games in his previous role. He is a big candidate for top six fantasy forwards this year.
Zak Butters was in a lot of fantasy sides to start 2021 and he saluted in round 2 with a monster score to make all those who took the chance feel better about themselves. Round 3 was a different story however, and the return of Connor Rozee may have something to do with that. Butters is a forward who spends varying amounts of time in midfield depending on available personnel and the flow of the game, so his scores are going to be up and down. The key for his fantasy owners is how his average creeps up over the course of the season.
Slip past Butters
Starting in a fairly deep position in the forward line, Zak Butters managed 19 senior games in his debut season though he reached 20 disposals only thrice and booted 12.7 from limited opportunities. He underwent shoulder surgery in the off season and was on light duties until the new year. Butters is going to be a player, of that there is no doubt. Whether he is going to be a fantasy player is still up in the air, as coaches would like to see him roaming upfield more often. He is not worth a pick, especially as his preseason is not going to be perfect.
Zak Butters is one of the cadre of Port youngsters to have made an impact early in 2019, much to the delight of their owners in fantasy competitions. Even the best cash cows eventually leave our lineups in salary cap competitions if we can help it, however, so it is about that time of year where we cast an eye over the cheapies who have accumulated value in the opening weeks. Today will probably be the last time for the year that players like Butters stay in starting 18s, with some boot-filling on the cards against the undermanned Suns.
Oh hamburgers, Zak
Shoulder surgery to end his last junior season early did not dissuade the Power from picking up Zak Butters, as he went at rates of 20 possessions, four tackles, four clearances and four inside 50s in the TAC Cup. Port is stacked with bigger bodies fighting for HFF spots at the moment, even after offloading a few in the off season, so it is highly likely that Butters builds up his body while learning the craft in the SANFL.
