PORT ADELAIDE coach Josh Carr has expressed his pride in the performance of Zak Butters on Saturday after the star midfielder faced a week of scrutiny stemming from an incident with umpire Nick Foot last weekend at Adelaide Oval. 

The stand-in captain was fined $1500 for umpire dissent after the AFL Tribunal found him guilty on Tuesday night, before the Power elected to appeal the finding he and the club have disputed.

That AFL Appeal Board Hearing will be held on Monday night, following another brilliant performance from the two-time All-Australian at Marvel Stadium. 

Port Adelaide fell narrowly short of beating premiership contender Hawthorn, courtesy of Jason Horne-Francis and Butters, who amassed a game-high 35 disposals, 16 contested possessions and a goal in the three-point loss.

Carr said Butters dealt with the scrutiny well and got back to work at training during the week, before performing when it mattered most on the weekend. 

"As a football club we're super proud of him. It's obviously been a huge week for him, and then to come out and play the footy that he did … you know he loves his football. Being out on the field allows him to move on and do his best work," Carr said.

"I can't answer how much he consumed himself with what happened. It would have been really hard for him not to be thinking about what had happened and where it's going to go.

"But in the end, every time he rocked up to the footy club, he was there to work and there to train, and I think that allowed him to move on and not think about it.  

"Obviously there's still a bit to play out with that. But in the end, he's a footballer that loves his footy. So him being at the club, allows him to move on and then playing a game of footy allowed him to look forward."