Butters ‘won’t be rushed’ on future after fiery Origin debut; Weitering cleared of serious injury

Fresh from Victoria’s State Of Origin victory, Port Adelaide hard man Zak Butters said he would now turn his attention to club land and his future.

Butters will be at the centre of ongoing speculation this year as he becomes a restricted free agent at season’s end.

“You can’t say you don’t think about it,” he said. “It’s obviously a big decision. And I’m still working through a few things.

“But I’m super happy in Adelaide, and at Port. I really love my teammates at the club. And, yeah, it’s a big decision. I won’t be rushed.”

Port recruited the 25-year-old Butters from the regional town of Darley at No.12 in the 2018 national draft, and he has repaid their faith by winning three John Cahill Medals as the club’s best and fairest player.

But Victorian clubs will be circling for the star onballer’s signature, offering contracts up to $2 million a year in a bid to lure him home.

“I’m pretty happy at the moment,” Butters said. “I feel like, obviously, it was good to get back playing footy today, and the club’s been really good in that area.

“I’ve got a really good relationship with Josh Carr, and we’re in constant contact with my manager, the club, and yeah, I feel like all parties are across it.

“I’m looking forward to playing some footy this year, and obviously it started today (with Victoria), but looking forward to getting back to club land and playing with my teammates and hopefully getting a few wins.”

Weitering out of hospital, escapes serious injury

Carlton veteran Jacob Weitering has been discharged from hospital and cleared of serious injury after he was flattened during a marking contest in Saturday night’s Origin clash in Perth.

There were immediate fears about shoulder and rib injuries for the important defender and Carlton co-vice captain. But the Blues allayed those concerns on Sunday when they said Weitering had been “assessed – and ultimately cleared” of neck, spinal or major internal injury.

“The 28-year-old does have some soreness around the chest area which requires further assessment and the club will be in a position to provide a more accurate recovery timeline by the middle of the week, once he is further monitored by Blues medical staff in the coming days,” Carlton said in a statement.

Weitering was taken from the ground on a stretcher at Optus Stadium after Western Australia opponent Mitch Georgiades and teammate Sam Collins landed heavily on top of him during a marking contest.

Weitering’s Victorian teammate Patrick Dangerfield revealed the positive prognosis on Sunday morning.

“It’s good to see the big fella has been cleared,” Dangerfield said.

“That’s a part of footy, unfortunately, it is the combative nature that we love.

“But it’s great to see he’s been cleared of any damage.

“He was engaged with the WhatsApp group (last night), that’s for sure,” Dangerfield said. “That lit up last night.”

Carlton were relieved that Weitering escaped serious injury, and they reiterated the club’s pride that he and Patrick Cripps, who captained Western Australia, had the chance to play representative state football.

“First and foremost we are grateful Jacob is OK and has been cleared of any major injury – it is a positive outcome given the circumstances,” said Carlton’s general manager of football Chris Davies.

“While Jacob is feeling sore this morning, he has avoided significant damage, so we will manage him as needed while we ramp up our preparations for the start of the season.

“Although that moment in the game was unfortunate, it does not take away from the fact that our football club is incredibly proud of both Jacob and Patrick for earning the honour to represent their respective states.”

Dangerfield said the way Western Australians embraced the State Of Origin return meant the concept “might be around for a while”, despite the prospect of injuries.

“We’re going to see injuries next week, unfortunately, as well, especially in the early parts of match simulation and practice when you are really getting used to full-on contact,” he said.

“You train it at this time of year, but you don’t fully engage with high-speed collisions. So it is one of those things that it is a difficult game to predict, and it’ll continue to be that way, I think, as long as we play it.”

Toby and Zak make a pact

Greater Western Sydney antagonist Toby Greene and Butters made a pre-game pact to set an aggressive tone during Saturday night’s clash against Western Australia at Perth Stadium in Perth.

Which should come as a surprise to no one.

The feisty Butters found himself in a scrap with WA defender Tom Barrass when the home team were making a late charge to win back the lead.

“I think he got Toby a bit late, and I was just backing him up,” Butters explained. “I think it’s in the Origin spirit. The game was pretty close at that point, so I really wanted to get the win.

“We spoke about it a little bit pre-game. We’re both starting half-forward, so we said, we would try and set the tone in that area. I’ve looked up to him (Greene) for a while now, obviously growing up as a kid. I really admire the way he plays, so it’s good to do it with him.”

Butters agreed that he and Greene liked to play on the edge.

“I think I naturally do,” he said. “It comes down a little bit to it sometimes, but I feel like we’ve all created some good relations over the weekend. It helps me get involved in the game a little bit as well.”

No wonder Port are so desperate to keep their heart-and-soul vice-captain.

Max makes room for more trophies

Decorated ruckman Max Gawn has formed a love affair with Perth Stadium.

He lifted the premiership cup at the ground as Melbourne captain in 2021, during the COVID-19 years, and can now add a victorious Victorian debut at the venue to his glowing resume.

After the game, the 34-year-old veteran made mention of two Melbourne greats connected to both historic wins – Victorian selector and chief motivator Garry Lyon, and the inspiration of Neale Daniher in the lead-up to the club’s drought-breaking premiership.

“I’ve won silverware twice in this room,” he said. “I do like the Freo Dockers’ room.

“I mean, any sort of emotional tie you can make in football, I think it is something that you can play on, you can use as a motivational tool.

“And, yeah, we’ve used Neil Daniher at times. We’ve used lots of different things at times. And today, we used that Origin history.

Gawn said Lyon embraced the “Mr Origin” role.

“He’s been good, Garry,” he said. “His job was to really fire us up. I mean, Chris Scott, what I’ve seen from Chris Scott, and the thing I’ve taken the most out of this, is seeing what people that you have a view on are actually like.

“And Chris Scott’s one of them, for mine. I think the balance of Chris Scott and Gary Lyon was unbelievable.

Chris Scott was so method-based, and leaving the game up to some of the star players we had. And then Garry was like, nah boys, we got to put a hip and shoulder right into these [guys] in the first contest.

We asked Gawn about his preconceived view of Scott.

“I always thought he was cool, calm and collected. Sometimes I thought he was better than the game, but when you think about it, he’s actually just putting so much to his players.

“He’s given his players a lot of flexibility in the way they want to play. And I really gelled with it, to be honest.”

Gawn was mic’d up for the game and was looking forward to hearing his interaction with a star-studded midfield that included Marcus Bontempelli, Nick Daicos and Butters.

“The young players kept coming up and saying, ’it’s a pleasure to play with you and Danger and Gunston and some of these guys, Bont, who have been around for a long time. But the pleasure is all ours,” Gawn said.

“The fact that we can play with some of these Gen Z boys that are turning football into a new game … I mean, I didn’t have the normal input I normally have in games because the game was chaotic, the game was weird, the game was Origin, which was fun.”

Suns pair reunited

Gold Coast recruit Christian Petracca has well and truly embedded himself within the Suns playing group, according new teammate Sam Collins.

“I actually went school with Trac,” Collins said after his State Of Origin debut for Victoria.

“So, I knew the character that was coming across, and he’s been sensational for all the boys.

“More, to say, his energy and connection that he brings to the group. You know, he’s opened his house up a number of times.

“He’s always looking to do things and bring the energy … so he’s been sensational.”

Collins, who was taken at No.55 in the 2015 national draft by Fremantle before joining the Suns in 2019, has also been impressed by former Western Bulldog Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.

“Jamarra has just been working his ass off to give himself a fair chance to play and, most importantly, impact our team. So [I’m] looking forward to seeing what he can bring,” Collins said.

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