AFL news: Knee surgery to sideline Port Adelaide star Zak Butters for start of season
Kane Farrell says Port Adelaide has the manpower to cover both injured superstar Zak Butters after knee surgery and the loss of defensive lynchpin Dan Houston.
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Port Adelaide will rely both ends of its AFL experience to cover injured superstar Zak Butters.
Butters sustained a knock during the Power’s practice match against Adelaide on Friday and is set to undergo a knee arthroscopy.
Butters is only expected to miss the start of the 2025 season unless further damage to the knee is discovered.
Power defender Kane Farrell conceded the injury to the two-time All Australian was not ideal but backed 44-gamer Jackson Mead and veteran Travis Boak to step up.
“Yeah, obviously it’s not what we want at the start of the season but we’ve also got players who can fill that role,” Farrell said.
“Jackson Mead can come in to play some more midfield minutes now, Boaky (Travis Boak) can go inside, Willem Drew will get more minutes.
“It’s not what we really hoped for, we might miss him for the start of the season, but he’ll come back stronger and better.”
Butters’ injury came amid speculation about his future at Alberton.
Farrell didn't shed any light on whether Butters would extend beyond 2026 and said contracts were never discussed among players.
Farrell, who himself is out of contract this season, is “pretty happy” at Port Adelaide but will leave the negotiations with his manager.
“It has a little bit (been on my mind), not too much, pretty happy here,” Farrell said.
“I am set up, got a couple of dogs and a partner, pretty happy and just really at the moment we’ve only just got back into training and playing games.
“Looking to get a strong start to the season and let my manager sort out what’s going to happen.”
Farrell will have the best opportunity to impress this season across half back in the absence of now Collingwood star Dan Houston.
Farrell said he looked up to Houston and was looking forward to stepping into his role.
“Losing Dan, a bit of a sidekick for me, me and him worked together pretty well,” he said.
“It gives me a bit more time up higher, I can play his role now, I am really looking forward to the challenge it’ll set me.
“Then we’ve also got Ryan Burton will play up there now, Logan Evans will come up a bit higher, we’ve got blokes who can fill that role.
“It’s where I want to get to as a footballer, Dan is obviously a great player, he’s someone I looked up to and wanted to try get to.
“This year will definitely be a great test for myself to try and push it even better.”
BUTTERS TO GO UNDER THE KNIFE, MISS ROUND 1
— Simeon Thomas-Wilson
Port Adelaide star Zak Butters will miss the start of the season with the Power’s vice-captain to go under the knife after hurting his knee.
The two-time All-Australian reported soreness after sustaining a heavy knock to his knee during the Power’s practice match against Adelaide on Friday.
Scans have shown bone bruising from the impact and the 24-year-old will undergo a knee arthroscopy this week to inspect the joint surface and investigate the extent of the injury.
While there are no long-term concerns, he will miss the start of the season for the Power with a timeline for his return to become clearer following the procedure.
If something is found in the arthroscope then it is expected it would add a couple of weeks to whatever Butters’ timeline to return to action would be.
It adds to injuries to key defensive duo Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and Esava Ratugolea and tall forward Todd Marshall.
Ratugolea is in a race against time to feature in Round 1 against Collingwood at the MCG after he had knee surgery of his own to trim his meniscus.
Zerk-Thatcher is expected back around Round 5 after he suffered a back injury while it is unclear whether Marshall will play any footy in 2025 after he ruptured his Achilles tendon during training.
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Originally published as AFL news: Knee surgery to sideline Port Adelaide star Zak Butters for start of season
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